I want to be fair with this rating.
(I spent a long time debating between a 3 or a 4 but understand how much a low star can impact averages, so I went higher out of kindness)
THE GOOD:
The apartment has a great aesthetic and is in a nice location. The images do not convey how lovely it feels to be surrounded by books and hand-picked cultural artifacts. The manager Richard was professional and prompt throughout the trip.
THE OK:
The amenities are mediocre.
Towels are older and worn out. Bedding is stiff and scratchy. Body wash seems like it’s from the 70s.
The dishwasher doesn’t work.
None of this takes away from the experience - but good to know.
THE BAD:
15 minutes into our stay, and after one use, the downstairs toilet broke.
These things happen and we would have been understanding, but the owner and manager blamed my dad and are trying to charge us $1000k
My issue with this is that the apartment is clearly older, and with this type of “older charm” comes older plumbing and appliances that clearly need to be updated.
Instead of taking accountability, the host blamed us, as if we had been irresponsible rather than using the toilet (ONE TIME) normally.
He also insinuated that it was my fathers size that was the problem.
My dad IS a taller, muscle man — but he is NOT overweight or obese. If there was a size limit or concern with this small, older toilet - it should be stated in the listing. Body shaming should not be tolerated, and Airbnbs should be built to be inclusive.
Note:
We intentionally chose this apartment because it had two bathrooms. Because the downstairs broke, we had to share one - which one wasn’t a big deal - except that the second bathroom was in the upstairs bedroom so we had to coordinate and it was a little awkward if the other person needed to use it in the night.
Once again - none of this would have been the reason for a bad experience, or a bad review. The issue is that the host blamed us and then asked us to pay a ridiculously high repair fee (as if we had broken a piece of art during a rowdy party!)
When considering this listing, I would consider the host’s actions.
That said, the apartment is lovely and if this situation hadn’t happened, we would have given a great review.