Worst experience I’ve had in an Airbnb. I had to leave in the middle of my stay to find somewhere else. I’ve never written a negative review, nor such a long review, but I don’t want someone to have the unpleasant experiences I did. I strongly discourage everyone - especially women traveling alone - from choosing this place.
Not super clean when I arrived: crumbs in the microwave, cobwebs, dusty, decomposing mouse right next to the door to the apartment... Worse than that, the shower didn’t work correctly. But the worst part of all: the host’s friend/handyman made inappropriate, creepy comments during and after my stay.
Before I arrived, the host said that the water heater needed to be fixed by the plumber, but that the shower would still work. False. I tried by my best, but the water was either BURNING or cold. The host kept assuring me this was normal and would be fixed, but the water heater clearly did not work (there was loud banging in the machine, it leaked a little, and frequently turned off by itself). After asking for help many times, it was only when I complained to Airbnb that - surprise - the host said the mysterious plumber was magically available. Unfortunately the plumber could not fix anything because he said the host refused to pay to have the necessary work done.
Plus, it was annoying to constantly text/call/receive several different people at the apartment to address issues, clean, or try to fix the shower. It's not fair to expect the guest to spend their own time taking care of these issues while the host barely lifts a finger to look after his own apartment.
Finally, the worst part was the creepy comments that one of his friends/handymen made to me — once during my stay and then another time after I'd already moved out. First he said that because the shower didn’t work properly, I should come shower at his house. Gross. But I didn’t want to make a huge deal because I wanted someone to just fix the water heater (and unlike the host, this guy at least made an effort to help). After I left the airbnb, this same man called me to insist on knowing where I was staying and insisted that I go out for drinks or a picnic with him. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. When I told the host about this, he didn’t even acknowledge it.
I had read the comments from the previous years before booking, and everything seemed positive. And I was excited to stay in a Paris apartment with washer, dryer, dishwasher, and oven! Plus the neighborhood is fun and lively - lots of bars, close to different metros/buses, any kind of cuisine you might want, walkable to other fun neighborhoods, etc. I I wish my stay had been as pleasant as other people's, but it became evident that the host had no respect for me, my comfort/safety, or my time.
On the off chance that you don’t mind a faulty shower or some light sexual harassment, I would still not recommend this place if you’re sensitive to noise (you hear a LOT from the bars next door during the weekend evenings) or if you have any mobility issues/large luggage because the stairs are quite narrow and steep.
I hope the host addresses all these issues for the future. Until then, I recommend staying elsewhere.