This is a cozy apartment with a perfect location, one block from Davie Street. The apartment is a spacious studio with everything you need. The building has an amazing rooftop patio with a pool. Noreen is a great host, attentive and warm. The studio is located in an older building, so this might show in some nooks and crannies, it's not perfect like a pristine new building, but it is comfortable and clean. The bathroom is quite tiny and the door gets in the way of the bathtub but i'm sure you came here to see Vancouver, not a bathroom LOL. When you open the tap for the tub or shower and try to adjust the temperature, be careful because at first it gives the impression that there is only lukewarm water and no hot water. The fact is you have to play with it and turn it towards the cold water side, and it actually becomes warmer. I only figured this out durin gmy second stay here. When i stayed here 2 years ago i didn't jiggle with the knob, and i would boil water in the kettle to take a hot bath! Now you know! There was also a pretty bad glitch when i arrived to check in. Noreen used a keycafe at the YIG grocery store on Davie, which is one block from the apartment. I was wary about this because when i stayed at her place in 2020, i arrived at midnight and it was impossible to get the key out of the machine. The keycafe machines there are very old and they just do not work, and the staff couldn't be bothered since it is a separate service from the grocery, so it "wasn't their problem". Norenne had to drive 30 minutes from Burnaby to give me the keys, which i appreciated.
The problem is that this year, i was afraid this was going to happen again. I had a late flight again and i was travelling with my cat from Quebec City, so that was a long day for the both of us, and my cat weighs 12 pounds (he was in a backpack on my back, i had a big heavy suitcase plus a carry on bag, etc.) I told Noreen i was afraid the same thing would happen and i couldn't get the key out so when i landed we texted and i said i would confirm if i got the key or not. I'm not sure if Noreen misunderstood me but she turned her phone off ... And i got to the keycafe ... And i couldn't get the key... And when i called Noreen i got her voicemail. I had left home at 6 AM and it was midnight, and my cat needed to be let out of the carrier, use a litterbox, and eat. He was screaming and i was exhausted. I was stuck on the street with my cat and my suitcase, valuables, etc. The grocery store was closing and i had to get out. I couldn't reach Noreen.
I decided to go to a hotel i know that acceopt cats, the Sylvia, where i had stayed before. I was prepared to pay for my room for that night and figured Noreen or AirBnB would rteimburse me for the night. I had tried to reach her for over an hour and i couldnt stay longer on the street with my cat screaming in the carrier. Unfortunately when i got to the Sylvia they were fully booked. I called AirBnB and they tried to find a solution but it was taking a long time and they didnt do much more than trying to reach Noreen... which i was already doing. It wasn't Noreen's fault and she is a great host, but that was a scary and very stressful experience for me and my cat. AirBnB's response was that they couldnt do anything until the next day and i had to find accomodation myself. I tried to explain i was with my cat and i couldn't just walk into any hotel, i had to find one that accepted cats but they couldbn't help. I was on my own. They also didnt offer any reimbursement for 2 taxicab rides i had to take because of this. One to the Sylvia, and one back to the apartment finally. The concierge at the Sylvia was trying to help me by suggesting other hotels that accepted cats. I had to call them myself to try to find a room. It was 1 AM and i still had a backpack with my cat screaming on my back, after travelling all day, with my luggage etc. I found a room at the Listel Hotel and was just about to head there when Noreen finally texted me back. Then i had to go back to the apartment and wait for 30 minutes for her to get there. I would have apprecaited if she offered to reimburse the 2 cab rides but i was so tired at this point i just let it go. This is why i put 2 stars for check-in. PLEASE do not use that keycafe anymore! And always confirm that the guest has arrived at the apartment.