Me and my girlfriend stayed in this apartment for one week and had a good time - although we both found that it was a bit less than promised. Here I will give a long review about our overall experience, followed by a short summary in bullet-point form.
First of all it should be stated that Mandy (and Yu, the partner) are very good at what they are doing. It is clear that this wasn’t the first time they were renting this place out. When we first arrived, Yu and Mandy sent us a thorough description of how we could get to the apartment from the airport using different methods of transportation, where we could drop off our bags in a town locker if we arrived early, etc. We then continuously received messages throughout our stay with help offers, restaurant tips and information of where we could pick up clean towels. The fact that there was a cabinet in the hall way with piles of clean towels, as well as built-in shampoo holders in the bathroom and a hotel-like bed making made it feel like Mandy and Yu were running a small hotel, and I think this might also be what they are going for. This made the apartment less cozy, however, and we were actually quite disappointed when we arrived and could compare the real experience with the impression you get from looking at the pictures. The pictures have likely been taken by a professional photographer who knows how to portrait the rooms with maximum appeal. For instance, we found no use of the outdoor terrace other than to dry our wet towels, which did not dry well indoors. (We also wondered wether the distinct smell you feel when you first step in through the door is caused by mold as a result of the high humidity, but we don’t know much about mold and cannot say this with any kind of certainty). In the photographs, you get the impression that the terrace is a sunny and warm place where you can eat your breakfast and perhaps drink wine in the eavenings, when in fact it is almost always lying in the shade because of the high walls surrounding it. It is also very noisy on account of the close proximity to the 25 de Arbil Bridge and the airplanes flying low above. The good thing is that the doors are very sound proof, so that you can’t hear the noise from the inside, provided you always keep the doors shut.
To balance this review somewhat I would also like to say that the place is very clean and tidy, with all the nessecary equipment (likely purchased with guidance from the Airbnb checklist) and with a well functioning air conditioning. It also has a very good location, with easy acsess to buses and trams that can take you to the city center in one direction and the popular Belem area in the other.
Summary:
• Mandy seem highly experienced and is always happy to help
• The pictures does not well represent the apartment, which is less cozy than it seems
• The place is clean and well equipped, much like a hotel
• The location is good, with many options for public transportation