Nikau Hut – guests review – 11 & 12 June 2021
I wish to make the following review and suggestions:
1.Cleaniness & Covid 19 recommendations enhanced cleaning
Cleaning agents provided in the hut was only an unlabelled dish liquid – I would have expected a disinfectant along with some clean disposable chuck cloths especially as no hot water was available for guests to ensure that the cabin was clean or could enable them to clean up during their stay.
2.Heating – website listing contradiction
Noted on the web site the hosts stated, “for future guests – there is only a brazier provided in wintertime” (this was in the only other listed winter-time guest review). After making the booking and only from my questioning about the heating the hosts then advised the brazier wasn’t at the hut and with no other alternative. The listing needed to be corrected as heating is a vital determinate during wintertime.
3.Dining facilities for meals – lack of for inside hut
For eating of my meal, I had to sit on the floor of the hut with my food and plates as there were no dining chairs/stools and table (too cold to eat outside the hut especially as there was no brazier as mentioned above). Just a couple of basic chairs/stools and small coffee table or small collapsible table which have addressed this. (The low bed/sofa hardly was not suitable for seating and eating/tabling of meals.
4.Unsecured top bunk
I choose the top bunk as this was made up ready for use. However, without any chair or appropriate & usable ladder it was difficult to climb up and dangerous to climb onto the top bunk especially as it is of light aluminium & unsecured - it almost tipped over on climbing up and I’m not a big person! Simple fix - simply secure the bunk to the wall and provide some means to climb up onto the bunk safely.
5.Host’s response
Due to my personal extenuating circumstances, I requested a change of my booking. The host & I corresponded directly by email outside of the Airbnb app and because I had never previously completed an Airbnb change, I thought all was agreed and confirmed as per the exchange of emails (didn’t fully appreciate that I still had to also actually accept this through the Airbnb app). But even then, I had hoped that some reasonable change/solution could still be negotiated but the hosts emailed “they were too busy with children and studying and they were not going to go out of their way to help the guest to use the app” and “this isn’t their business” and the booking was not going to be changed. They also made the assertion by email “that I had the booking for over a month so kept other people from being able to book the hut” – I had booked it merely 2 weeks prior and only had 2 days before my personal extenuating circumstances arose which prevented me communicating for the change until 2 days before the dates originally booked. I approached Airbnb support and they contacted the host to try and persuade the host to agree to some alteration and Airbnb advised me “the host will not approve any changes at this time” & “Airbnb really sorry that a change could not be negotiated and agreed”– thankyou Airbnb for trying. To get some value for the booking that the host was not going to change or refund I did manage to stay on one of the two nights paid for. I had always intended to do so with friends but they couldn’t – so was a very expensive exercise by myself! I checked the Airbnb booking availability calendar for this hut and there were no other bookings for the rest of the year, so I cannot understand the hosts response of no change available. Hardly what I had expected as being the normal and friendly response from a “super host”. Sure it is the host’s prerogative if they choose to stick hard & fast & strictly to the rules as to changes – but really? in the off season of June (remember as above no heating provided) and for what gain other than to frustrate and irritate the guests?
6.Value for money?
Given the above circumstances Nikau Hut in its present state and listing certainly doesn’t meet a suitable standard even under the description of “casual kiwi cabin”. At a minimum the above basic improvements & corrections or similar should certainly be done. As to “value for money”? - I compared the Nikau hut/cabin against the local neighbouring campground where the later offered a cabin at half the price but which had a far higher standard and additional facilities including hot water, heating but still with access to an equally and similar walkway of Cable Bay walkway. Overall, excluding the actual Pepin Island walk I felt very disappointed and overcharged.
And as to whether the host meet the description noted on their hut listing of “highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests” – from my experience I would hope the host truly consider my comments and suggestions and make some changes accordingly.