Independente Bica

First of all a big thank you to Nelson. He secured us the best seats in the house at a phenomenal fado restaurant, and was incredibly helpful with check in and reccomendations. Thank you for making our first night an unforgettable experience. 5 stars all around. It's a new hotel and you can tell. We stayed in the Mateus part of the hotel. Upon arrival you can pop a complimentary sparkly rosé (or soda/fruit juice) and enjoy a bag of crisps to settle in and celebrate your arrival. The rooms are incredibly noise and light proof so even tho it's a busy street; if the blinds are down and the windows closed, you wouldn't think you are in a big city (make sure to set an alarm because even at noon you can completely black out the room with the blinds so it's easy to oversleep). All in all one of the best hotel experiences we've had. The rooms are incredibly hip/chiq, and the cleanest I've ever seen at this price point. They refill your water, coffee and tea when they clean your room so even before breakfast you can enjoy (a surprisingly good) cup of coffee. The location is also noteworthy. You are no more than 5 minutes from nightlife, 9 minutes from the waterfront, and 2 minutes from the most incredible restaurant we have ever been (Tasca de Bica, if you stay here please, please treat yourself to a night out at this place) If in doubt wether or not to book this hotel keep in mind that the quality is exceptional for the price.

I would seriously think twice before staying at this hotel. Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing — not only because of the condition of the room, but primarily because of the way the hotel management handled problems and treated us as guests. The room was poorly equipped. I requested an iron and was provided with one, but no ironing board was brought to the room. As I was in a hurry, I ironed my clothes on a towel placed on the table. This apparently left white heat marks on the surface. The hotel then decided, entirely on its own, that the damage amounted to €120. I was not present when this was assessed, I was not involved in the process, and I was not given an opportunity to discuss it before payment was demanded. The staff repeatedly insisted that there had been an ironing board in the room — which was simply not true. Fortunately, I had recorded a video of the room when I arrived, which confirms this. What made the situation particularly unpleasant was that my friend, who was checking out later than I was, was effectively prevented from completing his checkout and collecting his belongings until he paid the €120, despite the fact that he was already running late for his flight. The charge concerned a situation involving me, yet the hotel chose to put pressure on him in my absence rather than resolve the matter directly with me. The contrast in communication was also remarkable. After checking out, I realised that I had left my AirPods behind. I called the hotel repeatedly throughout the day and could not get anyone to answer or properly assist me. However, as soon as the hotel wanted to resolve the €120 payment, they suddenly had no difficulty calling me repeatedly. The AirPods have still not been recovered. According to Find My, their location continued to show them at the hotel after I had left. They were still there when housekeeping entered the room, and the location later changed within/around the hotel. Despite explaining this and asking the hotel to check carefully — including with housekeeping and the laundry — nobody has been able to locate them. The impression I was left with was that resolving a guest’s problem was simply not a priority. Beyond this, the room itself felt quite tired: broken blinds, creaking floors, an unstable shower floor, and water that did not drain properly. For a hotel at this price point, I expected significantly better maintenance. The location is very good, and unfortunately that is the only genuinely positive thing I can highlight from my stay. Hotels are not defined only by their interiors or location; they are defined by how they treat guests when something goes wrong. In my case, management was extremely proactive when collecting money, but remarkably unavailable when I needed their assistance. Based on this experience, I would not stay here again and would strongly recommend that future guests consider this before booking.

We had a great few nights here, our room was very nice, comfortable and clean. On our last night, we left very early to the airport to find out our flight was cancelled and our next flight wasnt until the following day. We were so sleep deprived and unexpectedly needed to check back into our room ASAP to catch up on sleep, and Nelson, at the front desk at independente bica accommodated all our needs. He was patient, empathic and kind to us. This is an excellent place to stay for the service alone. Bonus that it’s in a very nice area with great food nearby.

My room was pleasantly clean. Offers window blinds which you operate right next to your bed. My room didn't have chair or desk but bed was comfy for that. Elevator was talking kind, so perhaps good for blind people. Room offers Smeg fridge and water heater plus some basic tea and coffee selection. Room was cleaned daily. Cleaner was nice. Reception was helpful hand kind. Hotel has own japanese/portuguese fusion restaurant. I recommend the hotel for those want to stay this part Lisbon.