This AirBNB experience did not match the listing The description suggests it is a 5-star hotel experience – it was more like a 2 and a half 1/2-star open plan dormitory experience. I don’t mind thrifty accommodation. I once slept under a stairwell for $2.50. But this was not what was advertised to me, or what I paid for.
We use AirBNB so that we can immerse ourselves in the culture of the location. This is the fourteenth AirBNB we have stayed at. We were told we would be fined or asked to leave, if we did not adhere to the many rules that were issued after we booked in. The house was freezing beyond anything I’ve experienced. We spent our time in a foreign country anxious, stressed and cold.
GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE HOUSE;
Great location, with subway, restaurants and drink vending machines close by.
The instructions to get to the house were excellent
The shower was very strong and hot – the hottest place in the house.
The toilet seat was hot, and it had a neat inbuilt handbasin that reduced water usage.
The kettle worked
The EXIT signs lit up the steep stairway through the night which was good.
There was plenty of plates, glasses, and cutlery. There was an attractive bowl in the bottom left of the cupboard – though we never used it.
The lockbox was easy to use
Lots of tiny headed toothbrushes were supplied – but we did not really need them.
There were good bedside lights between the two double beds.
There was a hand charging station beside the beds.
Everything was clean, including towels and bedding.
ISSUES WITH THE HOUSE:-
MANAGED BY AN AGENT NOT THE STATED HOST
We met the host and she was lovely; however our communication was with the agency via the AirBNB platform. Several messages with the agency went unanswered, and they seemed in a state of confusion. For example, it was midway through our stay before we a home manual was emailed to us.
BEDDING
The beds was both hard and cold. The pillows were thin; probably four would make what I would consider a single pillow. The bunk bed shook every time someone went to the toilet, so the person was constantly woken.
DRYER
The dryer - only air dries, so you still need to hang everything up.
FURNITURE
The downstairs area was not functional. The furniture was suitable for putting anything on. I have no idea how nine people and nine suitcases could fit in the place.
It would be useful if the garbage bins were labelled – remember we only got the small house pdf guide midway through our stay.
CLOCK
The clock did not work. I think it was set at the same time as the photos in the AirBNB photo – which is quite funny really.
DOOR
We were told to ignore the doorbell/intercom. We were a party of four people, so were coming and going from the house. So if someone arrived home, and wanted to be let in, according to the rules we were supposed to ignore them – or we could be fined! Plus we experienced an earthquake during our stay – what if rescue people had come to the door – were we not expected to answer the door for them?
SHOES
The rules were no shoes in the house – however the entrance of the house led directly to a road which cars drove around. There was only a 20cm pavement at maximum width. There was a video camera positioned on the entrance - monitoring that we were adhering to the rules of putting our shoes on outside the house.
Here is a video of where you were to put your shoes on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDjECOpSvqY
We’ve had some amazing experiences staying at AirBNB, as you can tell from my other reviews. This however was a stressful and exhausting experience, I shall avoid agency run AirBNB’s in future.
Moving forward I guess we can all learn from this experience.