This was the worst experience I've ever had with an AirBnB agency/host - in Europe or otherwise.
Check-in is at a tiny office in the middle of Central Station, with very vague directions, and unresponsive messaging. It's not an easy feat to find parking in such a busy area, and with a car full of a family and luggage chilling outside with the hazards on, wandering around the station was not something I cared to do. When I finally found the sign, I poked my head in and asked if this is where I needed to check in for AirBnB's and was met with blank stares from 4-5 admins. I asked again, it was confirmed and one of the admins then started patronizing me about how it's polite in Italy to say 'buongiorno' when entering a business. Admittedly, I was pretty sarcastic when I apologized and said 'mi scuse, BUONGIORNO' and told him I had been trying to find the office all over the place and no one was responding to my messages. He asked (threatened) if I wanted to cancel my reservation, then took my passport and insulted me to his colleague. I abruptly let him know I didn't approve of the comment, and we decided it would be better if someone else took over checking me in. Then another group of people popped in the door and asked if this was the AirBnB check-in - they had been trying to find it for some time as well.
She gave me the keys and a piece of paper with some directions and info highlighted. I went back to my car and drove a couple blocks to the building. What wasn't highlighted was that in the building lobby, there were 2 corridors to take - one being more visible than the other. There are no numbers on the flats or any wayfinding, just 5th floor, first on the left. At the apartment, I was surprised my key didn't work - I texted, called Italianway support, who wanted to see A VIDEO OF THE KEY NOT WORKING before they could respond. I asked her to confirm that I was at the right apartment, as the mat was not as described on the sheet - she confirmed that I was at the right one. She had another agent call me on a 3rd party messaging app. I told him the key didn't work, I tried different keys (even though it's obvious which is supposed to work) and again asked to confirm the right location. He requested a video call so he could... SEE the key not work. Try this, try pushing, try pulling - jiggle the handle, push the handle, pull the handle. Pull it hard and push it hard. When I pulled the handle as he asked, it came off in my hand. He was as shocked as I was and then decided to actually send someone to help me.
As I waited, the elevator came up. A woman got out and went - yep - to the apartment I was apparently trying to break into. She didn't seem surprised that a stranger was standing in the hallway with a pile of luggage, just said, 'other side'. She said this happens all the time and that she wants to follow up with the agency for repairs and to make them give better directions to guests.
I go back down to the lobby and to the correct corridor, go up that elevator and open the first apartment on the left with no problem. Agent finally meets me there, helps bring my luggage in, and I take him to the other side to introduce him to a rightfully annoyed tenant with a broken door handle. At this point, the check-in process has taken 2 hours, and I still have to shuffle the rest of my luggage from the car that has been double-parked since we got to the building.
Later I get a request from Italianway for 800 Euro in repairs... 800 Euro. For a door knob.
As I reread the info sheet, to be fair, the directions do say to take the corridor on the right - that's my bad for only reading it 4 times - but as this happens so often and I asked MANY times to confirm I was at the right place, maybe highlight the important details instead of obscuring them with notes about closing the elevator doors and circling the contact info. BTW, they also threaten charges for things like not sorting recycling, and for using any blankets that may be in closets. There were also no paper towels, or extra toilet paper - both of which I opted to pick up myself from a grocer, instead of having to deal with the agency again.
Having someone meet a guest at the property to check in would have been infinitely easier and prevented any of the terrible experience I had, but it seems they have lots of properties and high volume of turnover. It was a nice apartment, close to a couple Metro stops, but the rest of my trip was clouded by uncertainty of whether or not the woman's door would be fixed or if I was going to be randomly locked out for refusing to pay their exorbitant fee. That sucked. Even now I'm halfway nervous they're going to send some charge for not recycling my old subway tickets.