There are some good parts to this booking: it’s pretty spacious and spartan, so it’s kept clean. There’s a Netflix subscription, which is nice. And the bed is soft.
Now to the totally unnecessary and unfortunate parts. I booked this apartment, admittedly last minute, before my family boarded our international flight (about 14 hours in advance of the check in time). I travelled with my husband and 2 kids (one of them a toddler). 11 hours later, on a short layover, I got the message that our booking had been accepted, and thought that everything was sorted, as has been my experience with AirBNB bookings. It was a lengthy message with contradictory information about a possible deposit, that I didn't have time to sort through.
During the short layover the airline lost my son's suitcase and we almost didn't make our connecting flight, adding considerably to the stress on the whole family.
When we got to Brussels, I messaged Camila for the check-in information while we were collecting our baggage. She responded I needed to leave the deposit first. The AirBNB listing says there "may" be a deposit. I am not used to leaving a deposit for an AirBNB, and not such a significant one, but I left the deposit without debate because, with increasing urgency, we needed a place to stay. I messaged Camila again while waiting in the taxi line, ETA 40 mins, and to please send the check-in information. She responded she needed to confirm the deposit first and needed my email. I gave it to her and no response. I then let her know we were 3 minutes away and to please give the check-in information. No response. I
messaged again we were outside of the apartment with my 2 kids and it was cold out, so please try to hurry.
I proceeded to message Camila more urgently over the next hour as all we had was the address to a locked building. I did not hear from her until after AirBNB support staff contacted her, over an hour after I left the deposit and her being fully aware of what time we were arriving. When I finally got an email from her, there was no apology for the delay, for making my family wait out in the cold, or for the capricious deposit requirement. She said the deposit requirement was stated in the
listing- it is, in the language I described- and finally provided the check in information.
Camila withheld check-in information until after confirmation that a deposit was paid. AirBNB warns about making payments outside of AirBNB, and this host asks for a deposit through Stripe. AirBNB guidelines approve such a payment if it is explicitly stated in the listing before the booking is made. I only found out the deposit outside of AirBNB was required after booking. My family could not get into this apartment after paying through AirBNB, and not properly being informed of a mandatory deposit outside AirBNB before booking.
My family had just travelled for over 13 hours with no sleep and a toddler, and Camila would not help us get into the apartment, after asking and then begging. I paid and never disputed the deposit, but that unclear and discretionary requirement was more important to Camila than my family's welfare.
The apartment was nice, but this is the type of person/corporation you are supporting when you book this listing. On that last point, the co-host is BE corporate, and their check-in process makes it clear that they’re running something like a dozen apartments in the same building. You’d think they’d have a better process.
We’re grateful to have found a place on relatively short notice, but this was an unnecessarily ugly and uncomfortable process. Cannot recommend.