We were left with very mixed feelings about this rental. The space is perfectly located, and very spacious. Using the word “Luxury” to describe it is misleading.
To begin, Edward contacted us a couple days before our arrival to confirm our arrival time. I responded within a few minutes with our arrival time and asked if we would be able to leave our luggage at the rental until the 1pm check in. We got no response, which I thought was odd considering how so many other reviews commented on the fast reply time.
When we arrived, I called the 2 numbers given (Joseph/ priority number & Edward/ back up). Joseph’s number had a “phone not in use” message, and Edward’s phone went to voicemail. I left a message explaining that we had arrived and we’re downstairs. After a while of waiting, we went around the corner to a hostel, where they agreed to store our luggage for a small fee. Edward did respond to my text a couple days later, but by then the problem had been fixed.
We arrived back at the rental for the 1pm check in, to find that the cleaning lady was still there. We seemed to be interrupting her phone call, because she was still on her phone after we called out multiple times that we had arrived. We waited in the living room for almost an hour for her to complete her cleaning.
It was after she left, that we were able to get a look around the apartment. That’s when things took a turn for the worse.
One very important thing to mention, is that the water is very hard and rich with mineral deposits. The glassware and plates are so corroded with mineral deposits that you can scrape big white piles of it off to the counter. The glasses look like they were frosted and the plates are rough and flaky to the touch. The inside of the dishwasher is so corroded that we didn’t pull out any of the dishes that were inside. There was a wet pan with chili or stew in a cabinet drool that was recently placed there by either the cleaner or previous guest. However it got there, it was an unpleasant surprise. Our guess, is that it could not fit in the dishwasher, so it was hidden in a low cabinet.
I understand that hard water is a common issue, but I also understand that there is a quick solution. There is a cap for water softener right inside the dishwasher, I don’t know why it’s never been used.
In the end, we decided to buy paper plates and cups from a nearby store. We only used the kitchen items that absolutely had to use, and that was after hand washing with a handkerchief that we brought with us. There is only one kitchen towel, so you’ll have to decide if you will be using it to dry dishes, dry your hands, or rest hand washed items, because there is no dish rack.
As I said earlier, calling this apartment luxurious is misleading. It’s worth mentioning that in the kitchen, there is no:
Microwave
Toaster
Coffee maker
Paper towels
Salt & Pepper
Trash can liner
Dish rack
Tea kettle
The listing doesn’t misrepresent, because there are no claims to have these items. It was my fault in assuming that a “Luxury” apartment would include these without mentioning. There is 1 hand towel, 1 oven mit, hand soap, dish soap, and dishwasher pods. There is a very old sponge under the sink, but I would not suggest using it to clean dishes.
To make coffee or tea, you will need to bring your own and boil a pan (there are 2, but 1 was full of stew from the previous guests) of water and pour into a cup. The gas on the stovetop turns off at random times, so you’ll need to watch it.
The bedrooms:
The bedrooms were spacious, and the beds were comfortable. One of the bedrooms had no linen on the bed, so our daughter had to sleep with only a comforter. She didn’t seem to mind, but we expected a “luxury” apartment to have all the beds made. The master bedroom door handle is not attached, and will come off in your hand. Some of the blinds were broken and didn’t open because the cords had been cut. This wasn’t a huge problem because it added privacy from the nonstop visitors outside of the building.
This apartment is rich with history, so you will have people taking photos of you day and night. While it’s not a problem in the bedrooms, there are no blinds in the living room, so you’re on full display. After a while we were able to ignore it.
The Bathroom:
The bathroom is modern and clean. As the description notes, there is no hairdryer. There is also no waste bin or towel rack. Any waste that can not be flushed down the toilet must be carried to the other end of the apartment and place in the one and only waste bin provided. The shower leaks into to sink/toilet area because there is no door. It makes for a very wet bathroom floor.
The Living Room:
The living room is beautiful and spacious. The furniture is modern, but very worn. The photos don’t show how badly the couches have been stained. This was our favorite space in the apartment, even with the missing window blinds. Although we never got to use the fireplace, it was beautiful and open, providing a comfortable feeling to the entire room. There is a massive flat screen tv that can be seen from anywhere in the living room. The dining table is large enough for a full family meal. The windows in the living room don’t properly close and the handles are not attached (they will come off in your hand). It did make the room drafty at times.
If you are planning