I’ve never been one to use my blog as a space to promote certain tours, hostels, airlines or what have you. But I am making an exception. Because this place was the most amazing hostel I have ever been to. I did not get paid, compensated, not even a pat on the back or a “thanks a lot” for writing this. I am writing it because I want to make sure that this hostel is repaid for giving the backpacker community a true gem, and the best way to do that is to get other people to go there. Here is my attempt to convince you to go to the Rossio Hostel in Lisbon. Go. Seriously.
When we arrived, it was just before 11. We expected to be turned away, bags shoved in a luggage room. Luckily, our rooms were already ready. Luck. After giving us the typical hostel schpeil… oh wait, it was not typical. She first ran down and showed us all of the hostel amenities which included:
- A large common room with beanbags (why don’t we all have these anymore? They ROCK!) couches and chairs
- A large fully stocked kitchen with 24/7 cereals, fruits, juices, tea, coffee and the normal hostel leftovers
- Free wifi through the entire building
Our rooms were simple enough, but with subtle importances only the trained hostel goer would notice. Our bunk beds were made of solid wood. That means no obnoxious IKEA metal bunk bed creaking. That means when Joe in the bunk on bottom is snoring and tossing and turning, at least you only hear/feel the snoring. The linens were actually soft. They were actually comfortable and the pillows were actually stuffed and not those paper lined kind they give you on airplanes. There were countless outlets, including a mini lamp attached to the headboard of every bed. Individual lighting, individual plugs. Hello?! Awesome. The room was also spacey. Although the hostel could have easily fit at least two more bunk beds in the room with some rearranging, there was no need to overcrowd, and the space was much appreciated.
The bathrooms were spotless. They were spacey, had plenty of outlets and plenty of mirrors. The toilets actually worked, and worked well. But what was so amazing about the bathrooms were the showers. I have literally… not taken a shower like this in years. They were so great, that while Emily and I were showering next door to each other chit chatting (throwback to the old Theta days!!) I actually commented about how I wanted to just sit (yes, sit… on the inside built in seat) and chat while the water ran. The never-ending supply of very hot water, that is. Huge shower heads with plenty of pressure, large showers with plenty of leg-shaving room. Each shower also had a little changing area outside with a little footstool next to the towel hook to pile your clothes in case any water got on the ground to wet them up.
As if that weren’t enough, the breakfast at this place was enough to lure in most people on it’s own. Every morning (at any time… let alone… no “breakfast only served from 7-7:15” garbage) the hostel owner cooks an AMAZING breakfast with an unlimited (yes, you read that right) supply of scrambled eggs, toast, handmade from scratch crepes with nutella, several selections of cereals and mueslis, tea, coffee, fresh juices, and fruits. And it’s FREE the morning after a night at the hostel. And, if you’re like us, and arrive early in the morning but had not booked the hostel the night before, for only €2 you can enjoy the same royal treatment. Which obviously we took up for sure.
I know there’s not a lot I can do to get people here, as most people use the reviews on hostelworld.com or other sites to fuel their hostel decision making process, but if I can influence anyone to take a second glance at this place when they’re looking for hostels in the Lisbon area, I will feel like I’ve done my part in good society. The family running this hostel are good people and deserve to be rewarded by full rooms and good reviews. So PLEASE! Go stay here when you’re in Lisbon and leave them a good review. I promise, for <€20 a night, you won’t be disappointed.
Emily lounging in a hostel bunk
The view from my bedroom
The computer room area
The main common room area