This was an incredibly stressful Airbnb experience. I share the below information only to hopefully help people better decide if this is a fit for them.
Some positives: proximity to town, view from balcony / kitchen window, general cleanliness, includes some nice provisions upon checkin, host agreed to offer a weekly cleaning since I was there longer term.
Where I struggled:
- There were multiple different objects / products throughout the home that had very strong, artificial scents and gave me chronic headaches / aggravated allergies. It took me days to locate and isolate all of them. Host did not remove them (told me people like them), so I tried to quarantine them in a closet.
- Bed was not comfortable, nor did it have any sort of mattress protector or pad. I informed the host and he supplied me with a very thin (like a sheet) Ikea slip to put on top. It provided no additional comfort, nor did it minimize the allergic reaction I had from mattress (perhaps from accumulated dust mites or mold from being near ocean). The sheets are not comfortable
- The same happened in the living room - the small, old love seat induced a very severe allergic reaction (sinuses closed); I put a blanket over it, but it did not help. The only other living room furniture consists of 2 collapsible single beds. They are honestly the most uncomfortable things I've ever sat on.
- The patio does not look like the photos and also lacks comfortable furniture.
- Several of the neighbors' dogs bark incessantly (there were 3 different dogs from 3 surrounding neighbors). I informed the host; he did not not acknowledge or offer to speak with the neighbors. It was so loud that even with doors/windows closed, my clients complained about the barking while on work calls.
- Check in is in person and lasted well over an hour. It was an extremely exhaustive and invasive process that could be expedited with some written instructions.
- Everything is in general need of a refresh / upgrade to justify the price.
- It is on a very busy street, so street noise is constant
If you are looking for a basic place to crash for a few days while you surf and are not sensitive to allergens or noise and will not be sitting in the furniture for long periods of time, I think this will be very suitable for you. If, like me, you plan to work remotely and need good rest, a comfortable place to sit, and some peace and quiet - perhaps it might not be a fit. I mention these things not to compare it to luxury properties, but just with basic comfort in mind.
The apartment issues aside, things then turned very uncomfortable with the host once it was clear I couldn't inhabit the space for the duration of the original reservation.
After trying and failing to make these issue better, I ultimately needed to leave early because I wasn't sleeping, my allergies were aggravated, and I couldn't work (physical discomfort / noise). After managing to make alternative, costly logistical arrangements for myself (it was the height of the season, so not easy), I informed the host and his response was hostile. He would only discuss it in person (no digital paper trail), and made me wait 5 days to do so. He then said that if I left a review of greater than 4.5 stars OR agreed not to leave a review, he would issue a partial refund. He also informed me he'd made similar arrangements for "other reasons" with prior guests. I was incredibly uncomfortable with that proposal. Fortunately, Airbnb refunded me for the days I did not stay there.
Airbnb then suggested that I create a resolution ticket for a partial refund for the days I was there, due to my subpar experience. They suggested a 50% refund. I issued the request via the resolution center, per their instruction; the host denied it. They then suggested I reach out to him directly via Airbnb messenger to make the request. He responded by telling me I was "harassing" him for following Airbnb's directive and he referred to me as "ugly" and "greedy." To repeat, I was following Airbnb's protocol and guidance every step of the way.
He then took to cyberstalking me on social media, trying to claim that any photos of me smiling during period negated these valid and well-documented issues. It was beyond invasive, unprofessional, and inappropriate (not to mention inaccurate). Before I left, he also cyberstalked my Airbnb profile / history and scrutinized every Airbnb trip I've ever taken, verbally citing the locations and the amounts I paid. After Airbnb finalized the case (with him keeping the money from the nights I stayed and refunding me for the nights I left - a fine compromise), he REOPENED the case to try to contradict Airbnb's decision, dragging this on for weeks. I took extensive photos upon leaving to prove everything was in perfect condition, because I was worried he would make false claims about how I left the apartment (he suggested I would "trash the place and steal the TV" - so unprofessional) and I submitted to Airbnb a sworn testimony from a colleague I engaged with daily during my stay to attest to my claims, as she knew I was not sleeping / my sinuses were closed / was experiencing physical discomfort / and heard the dogs throughout our calls.
Far beyond any complaints I had about the apartment itself, the host's collective hostile, invasive actions created immense anxiety, made me feel violated, and gave me panic attacks. They also necessitated that I make my social media accounts private (which I use for professional purposes, causing me issues). As a single professional female traveler, I cannot emphasize enough how distressing this was.