Background: I was looking for a reasonably priced place to stay in for a week after having to extend my stay in Toronto due to my father’s health.
The total duration of my visit was close to four weeks.
Bottom line, value for money is ok but you’ll have to compromise.
Starting with the good: price, free parking, responsive host, separate entrance.
Areas for improvement:
1. Cleanliness did not meet my expectations. After cleaning everything properly upon check in and seeing the dirt on the cleaning pads (thank you Swiffer) I can say that the floor, the dining table and other surfaces were not cleaned for a while. This is not ok, especially during the Covid era.
2. WiFi: I wasn’t able to run a decent Zoom meeting and had to purchase a data package for my phone and use it instead
3. Heating: the place has a small and noisy heater that woke me up numerous times with weird beeps. The beeps are a nightmare.
4. Laundry: due to my extended visit I ran out of clean cloths. The listing shows that the place comes with a dryer and washer but to my surprise the room is locked and you can it only once a week. The host agreed to let me use it when I arrived but kept saying “one load only, ok?” I was embarrassed as he watched over my shoulder to make sure I don’t over use it.
5. Smell: this is a basement so fresh air comes from a tiny window. Due to humidity coming from the soaked bathroom floor (under the tiles) the place smells from mold and mildew. Smell of cooking (even though I’m sure the food is tasty) once mixed with the moldy smell was unpleasant.
6. Noise: there are noises coming from the floors above, but mainly “mechanical ” noises from the aging structure. The bed is squeaky too. The heating system of the house is located in the basement too and adds noise. This is a big issue for light sleepers like me and looking at my sleeping stats using my Apple Watch, hours each night were “light sleep”, I really felt exhausted.
7. Hospitality: I’m not looking for daily TLC but as a solo guest visiting Toronto due to my father’s health, asking how I’m doing and if I need anything would have been nice. During a week’s stay I only communicated with the host twice, once when I parked my car and the other when the power went out (fuse box issues)
8. The floor in the basement and bathroom seems to have serious water damage. The tiles are not leveled and it can be dangerous for your toes if you walk around barefoot at night.
9. Bathtub doesn’t have a cork so forget about a relaxing bath after an exhausting day.
Due to these issues I even considered checking out after my first night, even knowing that this is not a refundable reservation but I had to keep my expenses low due to the extended length of my stay.
Lastly, I rarely leave such reviews, I served in the Navy for a few years so I don’t mind sleeping on the floor if I have to, but my basic needs were not met. A clean, quiet place to crash after a long day.
BTW, I left the place spotless for the sake of future guests’ health and comfort.