Living Lounge Hostel

Straight out of the pages of a “Hip Hostel” book pops the Living Lounge Hostel—perhaps Lisbon's trendiest “design” hostel, with cheap, spotless rooms and a super-central location along Rua do Crucifixo on the border of Chiado and Baixa.

The Living Lounge, which opened in July 2008, is owned by two photographers, one architect and a painter. They combined their talents and produced a hipster den that is part hostel, part installation piece, part communal kitchen and all hang-out zone.

A funky, boutique style dominates the hostel, making it impossibly photogenic. Quirky wallpaper and brightly painted accent walls add jolts of color throughout, while solid wooden furnishings get mixed in with retro and flea-market pieces. Downstairs in the main lounge, a long wooden dining table sits next to a beautifully furnished communal kitchen, which is decorated with original paintings and knickknacks.

In the reception area, guests relax on a bold red sofa or in a 100-year-old barber's chair. In the corner, a DJ station sits, ready to spin.

Upstairs (no elevator) guests can choose rooms on three floors that sleep four, six and eight, or choose to stay in a single (four available) or double (10 available). Most rooms are air conditioned, although they don't offer much outside of beds and free Wi-Fi (and lockers in dorms). All rooms share spotless bathrooms (mixed gender).

Naturally, all rooms have been designed with some flair. Whether you're in the “fado” room, the “sparrow's nest” or the delightful room covered in polka dots and bubbles, it's never boring. Each floor has its own themed hangout lounge as well. (We appreciated the third-floor “garden” lounge complete with fake grass, park bench and painted street lamp.)

The Living Lounge offers more than just beds and fancy décor. A continental breakfast buffet is included in the room rate. There are Internet stations and Wi-Fi is available throughout the hostel. Pay laundry facilities are also available. The entire property is non-smoking. The same management runs the Lisbon Lounge in Baixa.