Airport Transfer: I arranged for airport transfer and paid 45 Euro. The fixed rate for taxis at the stand is 35 Euro. Though I would have appreciated candor in the price and availability for a cab, one can expect to pay extra for the convenience of having the driver right there to help you with your luggage directly to the car. Unfortunately, when I came out at arrival hall A, as instructed, the driver was not there. Overall, I waited more than 45 minutes for the driver. When I called the host phone, the representative picked up right away and contacted the driver who claimed to have been there for an hour. The driver came into the arrival hall from the outside entry some five minutes after. The vehicle was in the pick-up/drop-off lane with hazard lights on. If he was at the airport, he was outside – not in the arrival hall waiting for me. I later saw a text that confirmed just that – he was outside.
Location: The location of the apartment was not quite as expected. It is a 15 + minute walk to an Acropolis entry gate. The neighborhood is residential and a ‘lived-in’ section of the city. It’s a little rough, with a great deal of graffiti. I would have paid a bit extra to be closer to the Acropolis, as the neighborhood is just that much different. Restaurants are not immediately located near the apartment as in other neighborhoods.
Apartment: Access was through lockbox, as described in instructions. The bulb was out in the entry and the electrical boxes were wrapped in, what appears to be, caution tape (see photo), giving the appearance of a wiring problem. The layout is as described and the unit was clean. The sheets and towels were fresh. The blankets (all three), however, smell like they’ve never been washed, and they are heavy. Recommend washing the blankets regularly and providing a lighter blanket in each room. The second bathroom did not have a bathmat and the ceiling is in disrepair – cracked and crumbling. No washcloths were provided.
Functionality: The hot water was stable and worked as described, as did the air conditioning units and the internet. Plumbing was highly functional as well. The iron worked well. Neither the clothes washer nor the stovetop are intuitive. Instructions in English and other popular languages should be provided so guests can, at least, recognize a set of instructions and put them into a translate program. I spent a good deal of time searching for washer instructions online, based on the model – no luck. I gave up on the stove and used the oven. The kitchen had dishes and utensils as expected. However, there was only one roll of paper towels with about 6 sheets left and no creamer or sugar.
Responsiveness: I called the owner to address one issue, which – it turned out – was my fault. I accidentally unplugged the internet. The owner was very responsive, having contacted the service provider, and walked me through the steps to ensure the connection was restored.