My stay at The Explorer’s Home in Lisbon was very disappointing.
We stayed at this apartment in the beginning of our visit to Portugal, and checking in was a nightmare. The person who checked us in was aggressive and rude, and he made us feel unwelcome and uncomfortable, which was especially unsettling after an international flight. I contacted the host about the check-in process and they changed the apartment code upon my request out of safety concerns. This was very much appreciated, but the initial interaction created a level of insecurity throughout the duration of our stay.
The actual apartment was very dirty as if it was not properly cleaned before our arrival. There was hair, grime, scuffed walls, dead insects and mold. In addition, the space fan did not work and the fan in the master bedroom was broken, with a piece of it breaking off on us in the middle of the night. We contacted the host and they promised to replace the fan, but that didn’t happen during our stay. This created an uncomfortable night sleep since there was no air conditioning nor were there screens on the windows to sleep with them open.
I was especially disappointed by the follow through about my stay. I contacted the host directly who never followed through with his promise to get back to me. Airbnb reimbursed me $16 from over $400 spent for the stay, which I found offensive.
My experience with the apartment and communication was so bad that I cancelled all future Airbnb bookings. I wish things were different, as this place had a wonderful location and great potential. Booking with Airbnb Plus should give extra assurance for a transparent and pleasant stay, but that was not the case at The Explorer’s Home.
My suggestion is to find a luxury hotel in the area for the same - or lesser- price.