This was my first time using AirBnB so I was hesitant to rate too harshly. During our trip, we used AirBnB three times and this location was by far the lesser of the three. But first the upside:
Pros:
- The location is fantastic. Two minutes from a metro entrance.
- The shower is spacious. We used five different showers in Europe and this one was by far the largest. More what American travelers would be used to. That being said, the ventilation isn't great in the shower area so condensation on the walls/roof is extensive, to the point of getting "rained" on after you're all dried off.
Cons:
- Six flights of stairs with no elevator. This is made clear in the add, so I'm not complaining. But you definitely want to plan your day well so you don't have to go up and down multiple times a day. Also, if your bags are bulky, this is quite a haul.
- Sleeping situation. The main bed is a couch that expands to a bed. The second bed is a lounge chair that lays down flat. It makes sense as space in the apartment is limited, but if you're prone to a stiff back at night, both of these "beds" can be a challenge.
The real surprises:
- We rented the room from "Catherine" but never actually corresponded with her. All interaction is with a man named Brice. Brice is a good guy, but when we met him he said that when we were texting Catherine (through the AirBnB app) it was really him responding. That the apartment is really his and him and Catherine are business partners. Does that really matter? Maybe to some, maybe not, but it seems a little misleading to me.
-Electrical wiring. There are multiple places where raw wires are sticking out of the wall or electrical fixtures aren't attached properly to the walls and have wires sticking out. This could be easily addressed and hopefully it does soon.
- Plumbing. The faucet in the kitchen sink can be easily turned (accidentally) beyond the edge of the counter and pour onto the floor. This happened once with us when it was accidentally bumped. With the outlet for a heating element right there, this could be dangerous. Also, the faucet in the bathroom isn't properly attached to the sink. Both of these could be easily fixed.
All in all, I didn't hate staying here, I really feel like, given a little work to repair some of the construction flaws, this would be a great place to stay... as long as you do your daily StairMaster exercises ahead of time to warm up for the climb. 🙂