I write this in hopes that other Airbnb travelers are able to consider this apartment with a clearer perspective than we were.
Yes, the apartment was very clean, nice to look at and had a nice, easy-to-use shower. Yes there is a small kitchen which was helpful, but don't plan on really cooking because there aren't enough cooking implements (no cutting board or mixing bowl etc.). Yes, the apartment was easy to get into. And yes, metro stops are available, but they were about a 15 min. walk away.
The greatest challenge for our stay was the noise from the downstairs apartment that was also being used as a short-term rental during our stay. Yes, other reviews mentioned noise. And one reviewer mentioned the glass wall, but we didn't really get what she was saying. The listing we read made it seem as though a lot of travelers are just plain rowdy and noisy, thus the decibel monitor in the apartment. But at least half the problem rests with the building itself with its lack of insulated floors and walls. So I'm going to spell it out as clearly as I can.
A GLASS WALL IS ALL THAT SEPARATES THIS APARTMENT FROM THE DOWNSTAIRS APARTMENT ON ONE SIDE.
Look very, very carefully at the photo that shows the big front window wall. It's actually two window walls. One right next to the street with a door and a stairwell going to the basement apartment, and then another glass wall that's the front wall of this apartment. It's just not a normal feature that you would look for.
No, the other guests can't see you, nor can you really see them, unless they're on the stairs and you have the drapes open, which we left closed all the time. No we couldn't make out exactly what the other guests were saying because, thankfully, they were speaking a language we didn't know. It would probably have been fine if there had just been a couple people who spoke quietly. But we weren't that lucky. There were about six or seven people who talked and talked and played music and sang all evening, and night, and then talked some more at 5 a.m.
So, if you're ok taking a gamble with the noise factor; don't plan on cooking; don't need the metro close; and don't mind either having everyone one on the street being able to see you, or having the drapes closed all the time; this is a perfectly nice apartment.
My husband also mentions the lack of smoke alarm, no emergency egress beyond the front door, and the management's lack of response regarding needing bedding for the sofa and our complaint about the noise. And the drapes hang over the heaters. which is why we were wondering about egress and smoke alarms in the first place.