I really don't like writing negative reviews, and I'll be as fair as possible. But my husband and I were very disappointed with this place.
Pros
• This location can’t be beat—it’s a wonderful, safe neighborhood close to great restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, and anything else you may need. Such a walkable, fun area.
• The apartment is definitely artsy and creative, with lots to look at
• Karin is friendly and responsive
• If you’re musically inclined, having access to a piano is fun
• The apartment gets nice sunlight during the day
Cons
• It’s grimy—it feels like it hasn’t had a deep clean in 20+ years. I rated cleanliness a 1 out of 5 stars, which is a first for me after 120+ Airbnb stays around the world. (While the housekeeper had cleaned the surface areas, there was visible dirt and hair in the living room and bathroom. The living room furniture felt and looked dirty. The sheets smelled freshly laundered, but the top layers of bedding didn't feel clean either. I could go on.)
• It’s uninviting due to personal objects everywhere, leftover toiletries, Rx meds, and stale food from other guests (or the owner—we weren’t sure), and clutter. It feels like you’re house-sitting, or intruding upon someone’s personal space, rather than paying money to stay here
• It’s loud at night, due to a restaurant that has its speakers facing *up*, right into the window of one of the bedrooms. Even with earplugs in, it kept me awake at night
• The bathroom is in dire need of updates and a deep clean—there was black mold in the shower and we had issues with the hot water taking forever to heat up (even with turning *only* the hot water on)…the person who showers second gets a hot shower, but the first one in doesn’t unless they want to waste a lot of water
• The kitchen didn’t have a single sharp knife, most of the bowls/plates/cups were dusty and/or had bugs in them, and the silverware wasn’t very clean. We usually like to cook breakfast to save money and time on trips, but we only cooked in here twice because we felt grossed out
• It’s cold, especially in the bathroom, since the window in there doesn’t close completely due to the vines blocking it. It was very drafty (and not fun) having to shower at 4am when we needed to wake up super early one day
Long story short, this apartment is in real need of deep cleaning and improvements (especially to the bathroom). If you’re a light sleeper, I also don’t recommend it.
We were especially disappointed because this place was *twice* the price of an amazing Airbnb we stayed at in Roma Sur. That Airbnb was sparkling clean, had wonderful collections of art and books to peruse, and was set up with everything a guest would ever need. We felt at home there, and it was still a very artsy, funky, musical space.
By contrast, we did not at all feel comfortable or at home at this place. In fact, by the time we left, we felt angry and taken advantage of. Running a successful Airbnb isn’t just deciding you’re going to list your place without any improvements, deep cleaning, or modifications for guests. We felt like guests’ comfort and needs were an afterthought here.
While the location is wonderful and this place has a funky style and charm, I definitely wouldn’t stay here again or recommend it, unfortunately. Especially knowing that much better, cleaner places are close by (and they’re cheaper, too). I really hope Karin invests in this place and works to improve it—it could be truly amazing!