This was my first experience of Airbnb. Booking was easy but I was surprised that I had to wait 24 hours for confirmation of availability. Why advertise a property if you do not know if it is available? Very inconvenient if you require confirmation before booking flights etc.
My next discovery, which was quickly and plainly made clear to me was that the headline price advertised was not what I would actually pay. The headline price was £23.14 per night but a cleaning charge of £31.15 and an admin charge of £19.15 increased the cost of my four night stay by a whopping 54% and made the headline price meaningless. Failing to include compulsory charges in the headline price is a deliberate attempt to mislead potential customers. Less well advertised is the host's right to hold £89 as a deposit against my trashing the place. I have some sympathy with this but it should be made much clearer. I could imagine some Maltese hosts, but not Mag, seeing this as a means of refurbishing or even rebuilding their properties!
Once you understand that Triq il Kardinal... is an extension of Triq Desain that exits from the main square it is easy to find the apartment. Parking is a nightmare. If you have luggage, try parking llegally outside somebody's garage whilst you unload it to the lobby and then go and find a parking space. Unless you really need a car, best to do without as the apartment is well situated for Birgu attractions, restaurants, buses and ferry to Valletta. All within easy walking distance but always up or down hill. Birgu does not do 'on the level'
The paint is flaking from the stonework around the front door and the communal lobby is dire. Twenty-seven steps lead up to this second floor apartment.
Open the front door and your first impression is of the lovely multi patterned and coloured traditional Maltese floor tiles. You enter straight into the living area which is of good size if a touch gloomy, welcome gloom in summer? Reading lights above the sofa would be an improvement. There is a small eating area off with a street view, a white cane poseur table and two matching stools.
The well lit kitchen is in the pasage connecting the living area to the bedroom. The gas hobs, small microwave, large sink and drainer take up virtually all of the work surface. Plenty of storage and more than sufficient cutlery, crockery, utensils and other implements. One moan; Lots of part used food supplies left by previous guests, even in the refrigerator, which, by the way, is in the living area. In addition some of the basics supplied by the host are not in airtight containers. With the high humidity this will not do for things like salt and sugar. I think that Mag should have a policy of supplying whatever she thinks is required and religiously ditching everything else left by guests after each visit.
Major problem, the gas cylinder for the hobs is in a cupboard under the worktop without even a vent to the outside. Everyone that I asked, told me that this is illegal, it is certainly very bad practice and unsafe.
The bathroom is of adequate size and the shower cubicle is a good size. Throughout the apartment the hot water was hot but the flow and pressure was totally inadequate. Mag was unable to rectify this during my stay. It was quicker to boil water for washing up than to run the hot tap and it was impossible to have a decent hot shower. The cold water pressure was good. A well lit space even though the wasbasin mirror light was not working. A shelf and more towel rail space is needed.
The bedroom occupies the full width of the building so there is plenty of space around the comfortable large double bed. There is enough storage for six people or more, hanging cupboards, shelves and drawers. Quite a lot of this is taken up with spare bed linen rugs and such interesting items as a squash racket and a crutch. Dim bedside lights do not give enough light to read by and the main light cannot be switched from the bed.
Before I arrived I asked about heating and Mag told me that there were two electric heaters. I found one on top of the main wardrobe. There are plenty of fans and I think that one could organise a free airflow through the building without letting in too much sunlight but the lack of aircon will be problematical in summer.
Decoration and furniture is predominantly typical Maltese but there is something for everyone from cherubs surrounded by flowers to my favorite, three colourful modern reprentations of balerinas via pictures of the Beatles and old advertisements for scotch whisky, Coke, Vespa's etc.
I did not meet Mag and we had problems with getting in touch by telephone but all queries by e-mail were promptly answered.
Apart from the issues noted this apartment is surprisingly quiet, spacious, clean and comfortable. Conveniently situated it represents good value for money.