Please be aware that although this property is listed through AirBnB, with Shona as host, Mandurah Holiday Rentals actually manages the booking through another app, Duve, despite AirBnB’s clear warnings: “For your protection and safety, always communicate through AirBnB” and “To protect your payment, never transfer money or communicate outside of the Airbnb website or app”.
I booked and paid for the accommodation and received confirmation through AirBnB, which has been my usual experience with AirBnB since 2012.
Then, I was unpleasantly surprised when I also received an email, directly to my personal email address (not through AirBnB), from “AirBnB User”, Mandurah Holiday Rentals saying, “We thank you for booking with Mandurah Holiday Rentals. All communication relating to check-in and during your stay is managed through our Guest App, called Duve. You will receive a confirmation email from Duve, as well as a link to complete pre-check-in. You will be required to scan your identification and credit card for security. This is in lieu of a hotel-style check-in as we have a self-check-in process. This is also intended to match the details provided in the booking process. We receive many fraudulent online bookings through certain portals which need to be cancelled, and this process ensures we pick up on any fraud. We reserve the right to cancel any booking where sufficient and suitable identification is unable to be provided.”
During pre-check-in, I uploaded a photo of my driver’s licence (with my address covered) and credit card (with my numbers covered), as Duve recommended. I was then contacted by Shona saying the credit card numbers were needed for a bond. At this point I was prepared to cancel my booking, because I had located several other places in the vicinity that included linen and wifi, unlike this listing. However, I responded to Shona that I had followed the instructions in Duve and didn’t feel comfortable about providing more information, and she agreed that the information I had provided was sufficient.
When I am taking a break, I don’t want to have to check my emails. I expect to be able to access all the information I need within the AirBnB app. I found Duve to be an inconvenient and intrusive way to communicate. During the days leading up to our stay, I received several emails trying to upsell me linen and early check-in, each for additional cost. When we arrived, I couldn’t find the check-in details in AirBnB, so we needed to call Shona (on the number listed in AirBnB) to get the lockbox combination. During our stay I received an email and SMS message saying pre-check-out was required, but that was also just an attempt to sell us late check out, at additional cost.
The place is a cute old shop, spacious and comfortable, and well situated, as shown in the photographs. However, we needed to clean the kitchen counter tops before use because they were not clean, despite the unfriendly poster on the fridge warning that costs would be deducted from the bond if cleaning, beyond what is covered in the cleaning fee, or bin emptying was required. We also needed to buy kindling because there wasn’t enough provided to light a fire, in fact there wasn’t anything to light a fire with (no matches or lighter). This stay doesn’t have the usual friendly feeling of an AirBnB because of the way it is managed.