On the positive side the location was really good and the house was well maintained with an acceptable level of cleanliness.
On the negative side:
- the check in process was a complete mess. It was easy to get the keys, but when we got to the appartment around 8pm we found out that there was no place for our baby to sleep or eat, even if we specifically requested a crib and a high chair (which were also already mentioned on their advert). They said they couldn't provide these items until 9:30pm (well past our baby's sleeping time) but they even failed to honor that promess. They (and when I say they I mean their employees or associates, as we never saw the hosts) didn't arrive to our flat until after 10pm, screwing up our 10-month old baby's sleeping times.
- their communication is very mechanic, automated and not at all according to airbnb's spirit. They sent us occasional messages in english even if we chatted in portuguese before, which feels really impersonal and didn't bother to offer any kind of attention for the complete mess the check in was. They clearly are a company that manages a few different appartments and don't care at all about their guests and their stays, as long as they get their money and reviews. More than once when I contacted them, they asked for my name and appartment I was staying at so they could identify me - sounded like I was calling a generic call center rather than the hosts of my rental property.
- to top it off, on the first morning I took a cup from the overhead cupboard to prepare my morning coffee, just to find it full with tea from the previous guests while it spilled all over my white t-shirt. If this was the only issue I wouldn't even bother mentioning it as it was just something overlooked by the cleaners that can happen anywhere, but given the whole experience, I thought it would be worth adding.
- the level of noise on the street side is quite high. It's a very busy street even at night and the flat is not very well insulated, so if you're planning to sleep on the second bed, don't forget to take your earplugs with you!