The Lisboans
The Lisboans is a restored 19th century factory that was converted into a high standard apartment hotel with 15 serviced units in the heart of Lisbon.
How would you describe Baixa House in a nutshell?
Baixa House is a small boutique hotel in Lisbon, Portugal. It is like a cozy holiday home away from home. What we want to offer people is like being at a friend’s house. It’s not like a touristy apartment, but gives people a feeling that they’re in a home environment, only better, because we bring fresh bread to their door and really take care of their needs. They don’t have to care about anything. They can just relax.
Our staff is invisible, yet visible if the guests need anything. And they are very friendly and helpful, but give the guests their privacy.
What would you say is your philosophy?
It’s about providing individual, personal attention to each guest. We are not a standardized hotel. I once stayed in a hotel which had a horrible painting on the wall that they wouldn’t remove. Every morning, I had to request the olive oil for the bread at breakfast. There was no personal attention; I had to conform to their standards. This is the difference between Baixa House and regular hotels.
What was your inspiration to open Baixa House?
The owner was going to rent out a few of the apartments in the building to tourists and have permanent renters in the others. I knew the building, it’s very special, so I thought it would be interesting to do a project for the building since most other buildings here have lost their character. The location is very good too and makes you really feel like you’re in Lisbon.
How long would you recommend people to stay in Lisbon?
Three days is the minimum to get an idea of everything Lisbon has to offer. But if you really like to enjoy the feel of the city, I would recommend five. When people book and say they want to see a particular area outside of Lisbon, we recommend they stay in those areas for a little bit before staying here, as the day trips can be too time consuming to enjoy your stay at Baixa House.
What has been the biggest reward about running Baixa House as a small hotel?
In each apartment we have a classical Portuguese notebook that guests can write their comments in.
One was a note by a Dutch holiday guest who made a design of the discovery monument in Lisbon, but drawing my team instead of the conquerors. The way he drew it and the words he wrote around it was very special. It’s rewarding when people are happy and have enjoyed the place.
