Do not stay here. This beautiful Airbnb has a hidden cockroach infestation. I do not take bad reviews lightly, but was forced to find new accommodations at midnight in Athens after seeing several cockroaches crawl out of the AC vent.
For sake of a full review, I’ll discuss the cockroach infestation separately below, but focus here on the rest of the apartment. The area surrounding the apartment is sketchy—yes, it is off the Main Street, but is down a dark alleyway where people camp out for the night. Inside the apartment, the AC runs very hot and cannot be adjusted (the settings are taped over). At the time of the cockroach issue, the AC read at 80°, even though it had been running full speed since arrival. The bathroom also is strange, as it is just over shoulder width wide, does not have a fan, and is arranged in a single row with the shower separating the toilet and sink. If you need to use the restroom, you have to walk through the wet shower (which might also attract cockroaches that look for water). Finally, the apartment is all glass, but does not have any window coverings to block the line of sight of other rooftop guests. We didn’t use the shower, but assume that might be a little weird. To summarize, even separate from the cockroach issue, this apartment does not live up to its rating. Huge disappointment.
Cockroach issue: The Airbnb host (a super host) was unhelpful, and in hindsight, dishonest. Upon alerting Grigoris of the cockroach issue, he acknowledged the issue and asked us to turn the AC higher (attracted to heat) and to keep the balcony door closed (note, the balcony is the selling point). He suggested that we let the cockroaches in while using the balcony. However, we’d not used the balcony at all, and the cockroaches clearly climbed in through the AC vent. He then pivoted to suggest that the cleaner let the cockroaches in while she was cleaning the balcony. When we informed him that was could not stay in his apartment due to the cockroach issue, he pivoted yet again and told us he was shocked by the cockroach issue (which he acknowledged previously) and told us wait out the night and “live life”. He then refused the Airbnb partial refund request, and otherwise went MIA.
This might have been a great Airbnb in the past, but those days are behind it. Grigoris’ apartment nearly derailed our otherwise-amazing trip, and forced us to book a last-minute hotel at a premium. I urge future travelers to stay elsewhere.