SEA VIEW w/Terrace 2 mins from Beach in Old Town

I didn’t want to leave —- great location, and unforgettable view from the balcony. Positive: Beautiful view, and location is excellent. Everything needed is there….. the unit is highly livable. Yet the unit also has “Old Town” touches—- built in cabinet- closet, wood ceiling in hallway, beveled glass panes in the French doors to the living room. Negative: Rotting apple under living room armoire…. QR codes did not help with appliance questions— management handles everything by text or the QR codes so it felt quite impersonal. The noise levels and 2nd hand smoke from other units were notable at times. The smoking in other units made me aware that I did not see an emergency escape plan if there were a fire and the stairs were unusable.

Positive: The flat was in a great location and provided spacious accommodation for a couple. Communication with the hosts was easy and they were flexible & generous with check-in/check-out arrangements. Everything was provided- shower gel, washing tabs & basic cooking ingredients such as salt & oil, so it was easy to make a meal. There was also a complimentary bottle of wine. Though perhaps the umberellas & heaters (we would have been cold without them) were the most useful items given the poor weather! The balcony was a great space for two with a view of the sea, sadly we were unable to use it during our stay, but it would be excellent at a different time of year. Negative: The main disadvantage was the noise from neighbouring apartments. On our first night it felt like we were in the middle of the conversation in the next flat at 2am. We used the earplugs provided by our hosts, but they did little to reduce the noise. I spent a couple of hours reading in the living room as I found it impossible to sleep. At 4am the guests departed and it was much quieter after that, so we then slept well & had a good lie-in. Probably just bad luck that next door had friends round in the middle of the night! The next night the toddler downstairs ran around & cried and the father (?) shouted quite a lot at the child. This was repeated every evening during our 6 night stay, though the child always settled by 10pm. We don't expect children to be silent & this noise wasn't at a time when we were trying to sleep so wasn't as bad as the disturbance on our first night. We understand that the other residents have to get on with their lives & we don't blame them. But it's worth being aware that the sound insulation in the building is inadequate. This was in no way the fault of our hosts, but it did impact negatively on our holiday experience.- Again had the weather been better, we would have spent more time outside the apartment in the evenings, and therefore would have been less bothered by noises from other residents. The surrounding area was quiet- outside of the building.

A winter break in Cascais Positive: The apartment is spacious with separate kitchen, living/dining space and bedroom. The bed has been replaced since the photos were taken. We found it very comfortable and slept well. There is also a large wardrobe in the bedroom with plenty of clothes hangers. Other photos depict the apartment and its surroundings accurately. Communication with the hosts was very good. We stayed during a cold period and they very kindly brought some extra heaters round to make sure we were warm enough. They also left us a bottle of wine, some water and day passes for the local museums - all very much appreciated. NB the theatre across the street has been freshly painted and is now pink. It is a useful landmark when locating the apartment. Negative: N/A

Vue imprenable, au calme et à 2 pas du centre. Positive: La localisation est idéale et la vue est imprenable ! Negative: La proximité avec les habitations, on peut facilement suivre les discussions des voisins. Beaucoup de vis-à-vis.

Perfect apartment for a couple! Positive: The apartment is in a great location, within easy reach of bars and restaurants, beaches, shops, the marina and park, as well as the bus and train station. We loved having a small balcony on which to watch the sun rise, and to be able to eat breakfast or a enjoy a drink at the end of the day. The bedroom is a good size, with plenty of storage, and blackout blinds to keep out the sun as well as ensure a good night's rest. The living area is great: two comfortable sofas and a dining table should you wish to eat indoors. The kitchen is equally good, not that we used the cooker or coffee machine! It's the first time we have been to a rental property that has had such a well-stocked kitchen, with plenty of cleaning materials and washing machine pods, as well as condiments. We were so happy with this apartment that we have already rebooked it for next year! Negative: It's obviously not a deal breaker, but a small safe would be advantageous.