“We’re not just a hostel, we’re a community”. This is how Goodmorning Hostel was described to me on my first morning. Nothing could’ve proved to be more true.
Located at Restauradores, Goodmorning’s prime location for exploring Lisbon is only just the beginning. This clean, well-equipped and comfortable hostel is a home away from home, with everything you need and a friendly atmosphere. Having not stayed solo in a hostel for over two years, I was feeling a tad nervous about jumping back into it. But over my few days solo in Lisbon, I came to really appreciate the value of a hostel which cares so much for its guests, and am glad I didn’t stay anywhere else. With all amenities considered and provided, ample opportunities to meet other travellers, and organised activities for seeing the city, everything was taken care of.
Visiting the vibrant and passionate city of Lisbon was something I have looked forward to for many years, and my stay managed to exceed all those built-up expectations (which was no easy challenge). Here is how the stay at Goodmorning Hostel contributed to this fantastic Portuguese weekend, and why you should consider it for your stay in Lisbon.
THE BASICS
Cost per night in dorm: starting around €20 per night – check your dates
Cost per night in private room: starting around €90 per night – check your dates
Address: Praça dos Restauradores 65, 1250-188 Lisboa, Portugal
Website: Goodmorning Lisbon
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THE ROOM
Although Goodmorning Hostel occupies a beautiful old Lisbon building, the rooms are fitted with all the modern touches you could need. Whilst still respecting the heritage, Goodmorning has used bright colours and modern design touches to breathe life and warmth into every room.
During my stay at Goodmorning Hostel, I occupied a light-filled private double room with a gorgeous view over Restauradores square. The bed allowed for some comfortable sleeps and the compact room was complete with a desk, coffee table, and small balcony out over the square. Plus there was air-conditioning for those warm Lisbon nights! One of my favourite features was that it was hard to find a room in the hostel with a bad view — most rooms I saw had stunning vistas either over Restauradores or the iconic rooftops of Lisbon. Waking up to views like these was a dream!
The dorm rooms at Goodmorning are designed in a way that maximises privacy and convenience. With privacy curtains, ladders, lockers, reading lights, and power sockets for every bed, you can be as social (and fully charged) as you like. Dorm configurations include 10-bed mixed, 8-bed mixed, 6-bed mixed, 4-bed mixed, and 4-bed female. Dorms like these are my personal favourite because it is easy to meet travellers in a dorm setting, but you still get to maintain your own space.
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[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-bed” size=”14px” ] Privacy curtains in dorm
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-lock” size=”14px”] Safe/lockers in rooms
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-connection” size=”14px”] Free wifi throughout
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-bed2″ size=”14px”] Comfortable beds
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[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-droplet2″ size=”14px”] Towels available
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-key2″ size=”14px”] Key card access to rooms
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-bullhorn” size=”14px”] Earplugs available
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-power-cord” size=”14px”] Electrical sockets
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THE COMMON AREAS
The common areas in Goodmorning are where the magic really happens. The kitchen and lounge areas are the hub of the hostel and where travellers come to mingle for a hearty breakfast, to catch up after a busy day, or grab a free drink between 7 and 8.
The kitchen itself is bright, spacious, and filled with all the amenities you need, including tea and coffee. Plus, it serves up plenty of enviable views over Libson’s terracotta roofs. Somehow, even the fridge has an epic view (I’m kind of jealous of it), but this is life in the beautiful city of Lisbon. The kitchen becomes the epicentre for eating, chatting, and laughing, in the mornings and evenings when meals are served, and is a relaxing place to chill at other times. Whether you’re having a slow morning coffee, or learning how to cook up a Portuguese feast, you’ll make plenty of great memories here.
The lounge area has large, comfortable couches and plenty of board and card games including Jenga, a personal favourite. In the lounge there is a bar which serves cheap drinks, different cocktail each night, and runs a ‘power hour’ from 7 to 8 with free sangria and beer, which is basically a student traveller’s dream. The lounge is social but not in an overwhelming way. The aim of the open living areas and bar isn’t so much to foster a party hostel atmosphere, but to help travellers meet each other and relax. As a solo traveller in Lisbon, it was something I really appreciated!
In addition to the lounge, there is also a separate TV/movie room with plenty of movies, Netflix (yes, Netflix!) and a comfy couch. There’s also a vibrant computer room available off to the side of reception, too.
THE FOOD
The free breakfast at Goodmorning is one of the best I have had at a hostel. I promise I am not exaggerating! I always consider a hostel having breakfast as a big perk, and have become well-accustomed and grateful for even a tea and toast hostel breakfast. So when Goodmorning offered freshly made waffles and scrambled eggs? It was heaven. There were plenty of other options too like yoghurt, toast, and cereals. The open kitchen and island bench make it a great place to chat with the other hostel-goers before you set off on the day’s adventures. Running from 8-11am every day means that even if you’ve had a late night in Bairro Alto, you should be able to get enough shut-eye and still make it in time for waffles.
In the evenings, meals are prepared members of the hostel team showcasing a variety of different cuisines which you can try. A generous serving will set you back only €5 and it’s a popular option, particularly for travellers spending the evening at the hostel before exploring Lisbon by night with new friends. Each night is a different style of food and the style is announced on the chalk board in the lounge, there was Portuguese, Brazilian, pizza night, and more! Some nights cooking classes are also run, giving you the opportunity to learn about Portuguese cuisine and bring skills back home. This was the first time of very many that I enjoyed the famous Portuguese bacalhau.
ACTIVITIES AND DAY TRIPS
Goodmorning Hostel facilitates visitors to Lisbon to get the most out of their time in the city. The hostel both arranges their own day trips and has strong relationships with other companies offering Lisbon experiences. Of course, it’s up to you if you take part in the activities, but it is always nice to find a hostel which offers these opportunities! Joining in a group activity in a new city is a great way to meet people (especially when travelling solo) and learn more deeply about the places you visit. Plus it gives you something to chat about at power hour.
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Sintra
When you visit Lisbon, a question people will always ask you is: “did you go to Sintra?”. It would almost be a crime to not be able to answer with “yes”. During my stay at Goodmorning Hostel, I went on the hostel-organised day trip to Sintra with seven other guests and our out-of-this-world hilarious and fantastically moustached guide, João.
I’m going to write a separate post about this day trip to Sintra and all the fabulous adventures that ensued, because it is too much to write here today! We visited several sites of historical value and natural beauty, and all while learning about Portugal and non-stop laughing with João. It was my favourite day in Portugal and an opportunity to make some great friends.
The tour leaves almost every day from the hostel and is an all-day tour of Sintra, leaving around 9am and getting back at 6pm. You get to see some of the famous stuff, but you also get to relax and see sides of Sintra which can be often missed by visitors. With such friendly and welcoming hosts, you can’t go wrong!
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Bike to Belem
Goodmorning Hostel also offers the Bike to Belem tour which I unfortunately didn’t have time to do, but heard fantastic things about. Belem is a part of Lisbon with significant historical value and stunning architecture. The hostel runs half-day adventures to Belem by bike which are run by the absolutely lovely members of staff. If I had longer, this is something I would’ve loved to do!
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External
Goodmorning has teamed up with a local pub crawl which runs every night. For €15 you get entry to three bars in the Bairro Alto area, a club, and an hour of all-you-can-drink. It’s a fairly typical pub crawl but is a decent way to see Lisbon’s nightlife and meet other travellers. Reps from the pub crawl come to the hostel and pick you up for a 10:30pm start.
Plenty of hostel-goers also head to the free walking tours on offer in Lisbon, with particular tours recommended by Goodmorning. These start around 10:00 – 10:30 and explore different aspects of Lisbon over a couple of hours. There is no set price for the tours but guides earn on tips. Around 10:20 a group usually leaves from the hostel to take part in a walking tour.
STAFF AND PEOPLE
The biggest factor in the unmatchable atmosphere at Goodmorning was the people who worked there. From the minute I checked in, to the minute I sadly had to depart, there were friendly faces along the way able to help at any point. Whether it was giving advice and local knowledge on Lisbon, the welcoming hugs and high-fives, running fantastic tours, hanging out with us in the lounge, or serving sangria with a smile, everything was personable and felt like being in one big family. The hostel is full of good, genuine people who make your stay feel like home!
THE PERKS OF GOODMORNING
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-location” size=”14px”] Amazing location close to key areas of Lisbon
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-cup” size=”14px”] Free breakfast
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-feed” size=”14px”] Good quality, free Wifi throughout
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-heart” size=”14px”] Social atmosphere, easy to meet people
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-bottle” size=”14px”] Bar onsite with affordable offerings
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-medal” size=”14px”] Board games and cards
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-droplet2″ size=”14px”] Clean bathrooms with mirrors and hair dryers
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-glass” size=”14px”] Power hour between 7 – 8pm, free beer and sangria
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-car” size=”14px”] Day trips available
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-laptop” size=”14px”] Computers available for use
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-bike” size=”14px”] All-day bike rental
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-watch” size=”14px”] 24 hour front desk
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-bag2″ size=”14px”] Luggage storage available
[icon color=”#000000″ icon=”icon-vcard” size=”14px”] Secure card access to room and building
SO, DO I RECOMMEND GOODMORNING?
With a resounding “yes”. Lisbon is well-known for having a plethora of fantastically rated hostels, but it is hard to imagine how anywhere could beat this! Goodmorning Hostel really feels like home, and is a warm and vibrant place to base yourself while exploring Lisbon. My trip would not have been the same without Goodmorning and you guys should definitely consider it for your trip.
BOOK YOUR STAY IN LISBON
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During my stay in Lisbon, I was a guest at Goodmorning Hostel for three nights. However, as always, my reviews are honest and opinions are completely my own.
