Hostel Lisbon Calling
Hostel Lisbon Calling is arguably one of the most characterful places to stay in the Portuguese capital. It is located inside a beautiful, restored 18th-century apartment building in the Cais do Sodré district. Staying here feels less like a typical hostel and more like visiting a well-traveled friend’s sprawling, historic home.
The building itself is a piece of history, featuring original high ceilings, intricate wooden floors, and tall windows that flood the rooms with soft, Atlantic light. The design is a clever mix of “homey” and functional; there is a communal living room that feels like a private library, complete with mismatched furniture and stacks of books. It is designed to encourage spontaneous chats and shared breakfasts.
One of the coolest features is its direct connection to the city’s pulse. It is situated right in the heart of Cais do Sodré, steps away from the famous Pink Street and the bustling Time Out Market. Whether you are hunting for the best pastéis de nata or looking to catch a ferry across the Tagus, you are perfectly positioned.
Getting around is effortless, as it sits right across from the main train and metro station. Within walking distance, you can wander up to the Santa Justa Lift or explore the winding streets of the Bairro Alto neighborhood. It is the ultimate spot if you want to soak in the authentic, slightly gritty, and endlessly charming atmosphere of old-school Lisbon.
Expert reviews
“This fashionable, unsigned backpacker favourite near Santa Catarina features original frescoes, azulejos and hardwood floors – all lovingly restored by friendly Portuguese owners. The bright, spacious dorms and a brick-vaulted kitchen are easy on the eyes.”
What guests liked
- Nice hostel
- Friendly staff
- Perfect location
- Free Wifi
Location
Recent guest reviews
15 November 2024
Exceptional
Very quiet and comfortable with all the necessary amenities
30 October 2024
Great place, good location
Quirky place, location was perfect. Close to pink street and Timeout market. Room was very spacious which I loved.
Only niggle was that it stated there would be things for breakfast on our shelf in the fridge in the morning - I could see each room had an allocated shelf but there wasn’t anything on either day. Would have appreciated coffee with milk but that’s it! Nothing else to complain about.
30 October 2024
Very good
Location. Bathroom attached to room
21 October 2024
An eclectic style apt.in the Baixa district.
I liked the location, the decor of the room, the spaciousness and its ambiance.
The thinness of the door allowed one to hear the slightest sound from the adjacent room.
6 October 2024
Pleasant
Great location and cleanliness of the rooms as well as the facilities. The wifi worked well and the rooms are spacious with places to lay and hang out clothes. The building is old as some of the comments state and the floorboards will creak; but it is not necessarily a problem.
We arrived late at night and had trouble getting into our room as we were provided with the wrong code, luckily we were let in by some of the other occupants who had great timing. Just make sure to double check the code is correct to get in through the front door.
30 September 2024
A lovely room right in the heart of things. Good transport routes and close to attractions.
Great location, loads of lovely restaurants within walking distance
Nothing
27 September 2024
Exceptional
Unique design, great staff, location right next to train station and Time Out Market!
6 September 2024
Hostel with loads of charm and character.
The hostel has lots of character.
Washing machine was out of order
4 September 2024
This is such a great hostel with private room options.
Pros: At city center. Communicative staff. Maria provided so many recommendations, each one we tried was amazing! Private room and bathroom, these were so cute and unique. You still get the hostel experience without having to share the room. Great price!
Cons: Hearing the people walking on the floor above.
2 September 2024
This is Portuguese, authentic, very clean, beautiful place with excellent location, would recommend
Perfect location, clean and big room
29 August 2024
great place but next time a different room
clean, totally friendly and supportive host, big fridge and kitchen, great area where everything is within walking distance
i´d deffenitly come back and stay there but not in this specific blue room. the room is located next to the entrance and also has a connecting door to the stairway. so you hear people entering the hostel and also people on the stairway. specially on the weekend there are many young people coming home drunk in the middle of the night.
12 August 2024
Clean and great location
Very clean, good access to the kitchen, close to the station which takes you to Cascais and hosts will always WhatsApp you to make sure you’re ok
No air con and wobbly door handle in the shared bathroom
2 August 2024
Great! Would stay again.
Staff was excellent and the room was very nice. The common areas were lovely. My family and I felt at home. Walking distance to all we wanted to see.
25 July 2024
Absolutely stunningly perfect!
Just stunning room, beautiful beautiful would recommend anyone to stay here
Nothing!
20 July 2024
A great hotel in the city center with a Portuguese vibe in an old building.
Excellent location - the central part of the city, you can walk to both places of interest and the embankment. There is a supermarket and many restaurants nearby. Friendly staff. Very colorful hotel, Portuguese style, great to feel the vibe of the city. The kitchen is very well equipped - there is a place to prepare food, all the necessary dishes, a refrigerator, a stove, a coffee maker, a toaster, a dishwasher, a washing machine, etc. Nice common area to have dinner and chat. Big beautiful room, vintage furniture, everything is done with taste. The hotel has authentic paintings and tiles on the walls. Really enjoyed staying at this hotel.
The only negative is the windows facing the courtyard, where you could hear the noise from the nearby air conditioner until night.
16 July 2024
Such a fun atmosphere, there was a disco ball in the bathroom! Highly recommend staying here :)
We LOVED this accommodation, the room was very cool with all of the antique furniture and lights. We loved the disco ball and pictures in the bathroom. The host was lovely and very communicative. We will definitely be back! The location was wonderful! The bed was comfortable and we loved the quiet.
The wifi didn't work very well in the room.
14 July 2024
Amazing experience
The highlight of my stay was undoubtedly the incredibly friendly and helpful staff. From the moment I arrived, Vera was eager to offer invaluable tips on the best places to visit, dine, and explore. Her local knowledge truly enhanced my trip, making it feel like I was discovering hidden gems rather than just tourist spots. The rooms themselves were immaculate and exceptionally comfortable. It was evident that cleanliness and design are priorities here, and returning to such a spotless and inviting space each day was a pleasure. The accommodations were well-appointed, providing all the comforts of home and then some. Overall, this rental property exceeded my expectations in every way. If you're looking for a place to stay in Portugal that combines friendly, knowledgeable service with top-notch comfort and cleanliness, look no further. This is a gem of a find!
14 July 2024
Fabulous
The private room was very nicely decorated and spacious.We had a great view of the old church, the street and the time out market is very near us. Vera and Olga were very nice and very accommodating. I would go back to this place again hopefully in near future..
There was nothing to mention .Our experience with this place is standout.
9 July 2024
Great for city break
Great location - near train/metro station, Pink Street and city center. Everything was clean and please is very cozy :)
We could hear every noise from the corridor and staircase.
8 July 2024
Delightful, friendly, and convenient hostel.
Great location in the old city, super convenient to walk out the door and be in the middle of everything. Fun and funky decor in a beautifully renovated older building. The mattress was one of the most comfortable I've ever slept on. Vera was very helpful :)
On a football/soccer Saturday night it got pretty noisy in the street, but otherwise it was a fairly quiet location. Bathroom could have used a few more hooks not in the shower area.
6 July 2024
It was a great stay!
The decorations are adorable, the property is spacious, and the location is excellent. It is well insulated so the sound from outside doesn’t carry.
There could have been more attention paid to cleanliness. There were spots on my towel and sheets and the floor had dirt in some areas.
5 July 2024
Lisbon Calling gave us a very peaceful, easy, effortless, and comfortable stay in Lisbon :)
1) Great location 2) Very quiet 3) Very clean 4) Very helpful staff 5) Nice spacious room
30 June 2024
Fabulous
Great room, location, staff. Lisbon is high priced these days, but within that context, this is a great option. Old, cool building- so all that comes with that- but that was part of the charm for us.
26 June 2024
Quirky centrally located accommodation
Fabulous quirky spot to stay. We had family room which was huge for the two of us and a funky en-suite. Good lounge and kitchen facilities available. Excellent location.
If you want the windows open at night the street noise will keep you awake. But there’s a fan in the room.

More photos

4 December 2024
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