The GOOD
Location was great, the place has two bathrooms which is great if you have 3+ people. Full kitchen, utensils, large living room space. The view of the city and partial ocean is spectacular. The host was nice, BUT
THE BAD
Check-in is at 4PM. I provided the host with our itinerary and asked a day before check-in if there was any way we can check-in early if possible and I would have been understanding if it wasn't. The host says he will let me know as soon if the place is ready for check-in. I receive no updates and around 2:30PM I check the electronic box used for access to the key and realize it is set to not grant access to the key until 4PM, which makes me think this was never a possibility?!
I messaged the host and he informs me that the cleaner is still working on the spot and it won’t be ready until closer to 4PM. At 3:55PM he informs me that the cleaner just told him that the previous guest lost they keycafe key tag that allows her to return the key to the key locker so he will have to help with check-in and give us the keys personally. He apologizes and says he has to drive into downtown to help us as soon as he can. We don’t check-in until around 4:30PM. I wish communication was better during this process so I could plan things with the family instead of waiting around in hopes of checking in sooner when that was never a possibility.
He apologizes and says maybe we can check-out a little later to make up for it and will let us know. At 12:32AM (past midnight) the day of check-out he says that is not possible as there are other guests that will stay. During check-in he had said he would meet us to grab the keys for check-out instead of dropping them off in the keybox. So we wait. At 11:51AM, the day of check-out he asks if we left the keys in the apartment. I informed him that we are waiting to meet up with him to give him the keys as he instructed during check-in. He said it is ok to leave them on the table, leave the door unlocked, and the cleaner will be there soon….
MORE BAD
The floor was dusty and didn’t seem as it had been cleaned, the sheets for the living room pull-out bed were stained with yellow spots. The pull-out sofa bed mechanism felt like it was broken. Half the bed would cave in (luckily only one person was sleeping on it). The main bedroom was perfect. The smaller second bedroom is TINY and the bed takes the majority of the space. If you have to get up in the middle of the night and are sleeping on the side farthest from the door, you will have to jump over and wake up the person you are sleeping next to.
The blinds can be tedious to open and close. There are a few missing pieces and for those sensitive to morning light, it might be a problem if you like to sleep in.
I’m trying to be objective as possible, but I had a negative experience overall that started with the check-in process.