We choose Airbnb stays over hotel stays for the personal touches and warmth of dealing with individuals that share their homes with us. This is an agency with over 600 properties in Portugal and replies are automated and often come in late. I am still waiting on a resolution/refund for some issues we experienced during our stay almost two weeks ago.
We arrived slightly later than check-in time and there was a cleaning person there still cleaning an hour into our stay which was inconvenient after a long flight with a tired baby that needed a nap. I feel the cleaning was rushed because I found signs of that especially on all the floors. I contacted the host and got an automated reply.
Next the TV remote/TV did not work even when we tried to use our own batteries in it. Again, a very late and short reply from our host but no solution. We don't watch much TV so I let it go.
The final issue was a broken freezer which was frozen shut. The host offered to come in and fix it but on the morning of my check out which would not be helpful to us at all. Maybe a freezer isn't an essential amenity to everyone but as a breastfeeding/pumping parent, I was devastated to lose/waste breast milk and not receive much empathy from our host/the agency about it.
The apartment was otherwise good: modern furnishings, great location, a modern building with an elevator, and a coffee shop right downstairs. However, it's clear the agency is focused on furniture and aesthetics more than on customer service or details.