First off, my companions and I would like to say that the accommodation is great. It was centrally located near the shops/city centre of Wellington which is convenient for tourists. The studio apartment was really nice. The amenities were great, everything is well provided for. There are more than enough toiletries and towels for the guests. The host also provided food (cereals, eggs, milk etc) and the kitchen is well equipped for cooking. The house is large enough for 3 guests and the beds and linens are comfortable. There is less noise (traffic) than we have expected as well. The chromecast is a nice touch too as not all accommodations offer this.
Communication with the host was quick and was ok. There was just a little misunderstanding between us with regards to our ETA and the time of meeting up to get the keys for the unit.
We have had our flight transferred to another time, we were supposed to arrive in the morning but due to unforeseen circumstances we arrived later than we expected (in the afternoon). I have sent a message to the host but got mixed up with our departure and arrival time; that was a fault in my part. ( I just finished my night shift that time, got no sleep at all before heading to the airport). We weren't able to send a message from the time of our flight to our arrival in Wellington because we were in the plane. The moment we landed I sent a message to the host and we immediately went to the agreed location to meet up. Since we were using a GPS we were parked on the back of the apartment. My friend went to see the host as we all know she was waiting for us.
Upon meeting the host, my friend was apologetic as we know the host waited for us. We were expecting a little bit of understanding and consideration as the reason for us being late was out of our control (flight delays and transfers). The host was understandably annoyed as she was waiting for some time. That was ok, but the sad thing was even though my friend was apologetic, said sorry and asked for some consideration, the host kept saying that her whole day (schedule) was disrupted, said that it was so annoying, and there was no hint of acceptance for the apology. It was only when I came to check that she finally started to stop ranting and gave us instructions for some sightseeing spots and how to use the key and elevator.
After the incident, assuming that the host had a down time and reviewed the situation, she sent us messages asking us how are we doing and suggesting things that will make our stay better. She also offered an extension of a few hours to our stay on the day of our check out. We appreciated it, but politely declined as we were already a bit wary due to what happened during the check in.
In making this review, we made sure to be honest and fair. The accommodation was great. The host would have probably been as good as what the other visitors in her site says if we did not have the unfortunate situation of delayed flights. We know she has a point to be upset but it does not warrant ranting in a public lobby where people are passing by. We also originally came from the same country and we are known for being considerate and respectful. Sadly, this was not the case between us. We just hope that all hosts in general would be a bit more understanding and considerate of the travelers that are sincere with their apologies. If we stop and consider every angle of the story, of why the arrival time was delayed, why the responses were delayed, then we could have better communication. We admitted the fault on our part and apologized, surely there was no need to be harsh with words and to be so evident with annoyance that we forget to welcome the guests properly.