I’ll start this out by saying I’ve never written a bad Airbnb review before - I’m deeply uncomfortable doing this but feel an obligation to future travellers.
Unfortunately for us - though fortunate for future patrons, as this issue can be fixed - there was an infestation of cockroaches. In total we saw 4 during our stay. They were in the kitchen cupboards and once even on the kitchen counter. I know this is a risk of a temperate climate but with the amount you’re spending on this Airbnb, and the fact it’s marketed as “luxury”, I really don’t think it’s unreasonable to not have to worry about playing roach Russian roulette every time you open a kitchen cabinet. Probably the more disappointing and larger issue is that after I messaged our host and told them about this, they did not reply. Though in the past I’d heard from them promptly, it’s now been 7h and still waiting for a response. Again, for the amount we paid for the place, I’d expect better customer service.
This aside - overall the Airbnb is beautiful and the glass design is striking (though note it’s far from town and at the end of a gravel road, so ensure you’re aware of this).
With that said, though, there were other (much smaller!) issues that made us feel it wasn’t necessarily worth the price:
- There really is a major lack of privacy in the master bathroom - if you aren’t an exhibitionist who enjoys that others are able to watch you use the toilet, this probably isn’t the place for you.
- The fireplace is finicky and it was tough to start and then maintain a fire - in part I think that’s poor flue design, but also because the wood supplied to us was poorly chopped (to whomever was responsible for chopping the logs - medallion shaped, smooth logs do not catch well) and left outside, uncovered, in the rain. Would suggest the Airbnb owners build a proper shelter to keep the wood in so guests aren’t trying to light fires with wood soaked to the core.
- the pool is not heated. Not a big deal, but something to note
- there are no laundry facilities. Again, not a big deal, but important to note. We assumed there would be, given the price of the place and how far out of town it was. In the end we drove into Raglan to use a coin operated laundromat, but because it’s so far away it was a nuisance.
Hope this is helpful to whoever considers staying here next. I’m sure the roach situation will have been resolved, so as long as the above doesn’t bother you - enjoy your stay! The property and views really are stunning.