where to begin? there are a few different kinds of airbnbs - this one is definitely the type that the neighbourhood's graffiti is speaking out against: set up for maximum profit with minimal effort, displacing residents and raising rents. having used this platform for a long time, i've seen some like this - but this is the worst. why so bad, you ask?
1. we arrive at night and the TV is on inside, blasting. very creepy! we of course thought someone was inside. best we can figure is that this is set up to make neighbours think someone is living there? it was set up to turn on maybe on an alarm (settings all in greek). we had to just leave the TV on the entire time on 'mute' so that it wouldn't blast on in the middle of the night...again.
2. the place feels super empty. it's suitable for a family of five and it's got a ton of (mostly locked?), empty old cabinets. the place echoes like a canyon. all the lightbulbs that worked (some were burnt out) were fluorescent and horrible.
3. i don't think i've ever had an airbnb without at least a decent cup of coffee. this had the bottom of a stale, crumpled bag that wasn't usable. tap water in the fridge was cold/good though.
4. there were literally no blankets. this was in october and it wasn't hot out. the host offered to bring on day two but we'd already assembled all the sheets from the place which did the trick. there also weren't any fitted sheets, so the bed was a total mess every morning, lol.
5. one full-sized window shutter was broken on arrival (stuck half open) and the host made no effort to fix after we mentioned.
6. the hot water situation is pathetic. not even enough for 10 minutes, so barely enough for two people. if we'd been six guests it would have been a major problem.
7. the first time we used the shower, the head blew off (it was actually kind of hilarious) and water just exploded everywhere. quick fix on our own but to really illustrate our point here...
8. it was mentioned only in french reviews but warrants mentioned: there are dogs that bark like crazy very close by, a lot. the block is very quiet but they are not.
airbnb is meant to help people pay their rent by renting out their dwellings to travellers. this place is very very clearly the type designed to maximize profit and screw up neighbourhoods by taking family-sized apartments off the market. there's accurate-sounding graffiti from concerned residents all over the streets about it.
be a good traveller and don't support places like this - i know we won't make the same mistake again. look for listings that look lived in so you know you're helping someone afford to live where they live, instead of the opposite.
all that said, it was clean and there were some cool 90s ikea pieces in the place that actually go for good money on the internet.