We stayed in Alfama as a central point to tour Lisbon, Sintra, Evora, and Belem. The apartment was clean, had most of what we needed, was close to sights, and to groceries. The breezes (and fans).were enough to keep us cool at night, but things were a little snug in the bathrooms (I am 1.96 meters tall) and one of the toilet.seats was loose. There was also a slight sewer smell in the bathroom next to the kitchen.
Our main complaint was that partiers would gather at St. Estavo overlook and sing, play music, and basically be raucous until 4 AM! We thought Alfama was quieter than downtown but that was not always the case. Florence was a very gravious host and very responsive to our needs.