The neighborhood is nice, with a wonderful cafe just a block away. The unit itself is modern with a tiny kitchenette and if you are comfortable climbing up and down a steep ladder to get to the loft bed you will find the mattress comfortable. Just keep in mind that if you want to get to the bathroom during the dormant hours of night, you will need to be adept at navigating a steep ladder in the dark, while sleepy.
This is only my 4th time staying in an AirBB rental, and unfortunately I did have a bad experience with the host Diego. (But hey….The first 3 Air BB experiences were fantastic and seamless!) Anyway - During my one month long stay I contacted Diego a few times for help: Internet not working, Question on garbage disposal, request for a fan for the very hot loft, and request for the cleaning services and washer machine included in rent. Below is a brief description of the issues…
Week 1 - I asked for a fan bc the loft was very hot which resulted in a very sweaty sleep experience. Diego responded with an instruction to open the glass doors if I was hot bc "Mexico City is 2300 M high.” While the unit has a glass door that opens up to the streets of Mexico City, there is no window, or any other access to fresh air in the unit. And sleeping at night with a wide open door (on the first floor of the building) in a city is not something I would consider safe. I notice other guests have reported the heat problem in the unit so hopefully Diego will keep the fan he eventually agreed to provide me, for future guests…it makes a big difference in comfort. And I thank him for providing it!
Week 2 - The roller shade on the glass door got stuck in the down position, blocking any ability to use the 20 foot glass door and resulting in a very dark stuffy unit, so I asked Diego to help fix it. (Which he did the next day. Gracias!)
Week 4- But here is where things got very strange…..I let Diego know that the weekly cleaning services included in the fee for his Air BB, had been neglected. Specifically: The shower was not once cleaned during my stay, the bed was consistently made with dirty sheets, dishes were not cleaned, and the washer machine was broken - so I had to take my clothes to a laundry / cleaners store and pay to have them cleaned. His response was, “The included cleaning of the loft is Floor, Kitchen, Bathroom but no clean linens”. He did not address the issues and he redefined what ‘cleaning services’ meant.
I booked this place for a month long stay and chose his unit in part bc I needed a cleaning service and washer machine, and it was clearly stated on his AIR BB inclusion list, that I paid in advance for weekly cleaning. I asked him for a 7% refund to mitigate the cost of paying for my laundry to be done, and time I spent cleaning. He did not agree, which is his prerogative of course and not a big deal. However, my request brought on an onslaught of hostile texts, and insults from Diego that were very unsettling and made me uncomfortable enough to want to leave early. The shift in temperament was quite unexpected and very polarized.
A few other things to consider before you book this space are as follows:
-There is a barn like odor that permeates from the glass door area…possibly from all the pigeons?
-The jacuzzi advertised was blocked off with yellow caution tape - so in reality it is not accessible.
-San Rafael is a good Uber ride away from the main center or ‘Centro” of Mexico City, so do include daily costs for transportation to museums, parks and main hot spots in your budget.
-The building is full of travelers which can be fun, in fact I made friends with two women who are coming to New York next month and staying with me for two nights.
- On Saturdays and Sundays there is an open air farmers market with a ton of fresh food.