Caveat Emptor/Buyer Beware!
I have been a guest or host with Airbnb since they started in 2008 and I have rarely if ever had any issues with hosts or guests, but my recent trip to Laura’s place was worst experience I have ever had at an Airbnb! Not only was it not at all accurate to what she has in the listing, but also she refused to make any real changes. My reviews speak for themselves and I would only make valid with the host and Airbnb when it’s warranted. The listing says, “Central Air Conditioning”, but the apartment does not have Air Conditioning unless they will install it after I have left the property. The host knew full well that I was only going to book a place with AC, so she tried to make me think she had it in addition to radiant floors and an aero thermal system. When we arrived, she finally admitted that she does not have Air Conditioning and that the aero thermal system she does have does not work properly. She called repair people for 2 weeks straight, but they could not fix the system. Additionally, she brought me a broken and outdated portable AC unit, and it literally did not blow or create cool air. I set up the unit as it should, because I am very experienced with the use of these systems, but the unit just did not work because the motor inside clearly had a bad regulator and condenser. The portable AC actually made it hotter, because it was blowing hot air and the windows (which are actually doors) had to be open fully to extend the hose outside. I made a claim wit Airbnb, because what she attempted was not a fix at all. I went to Costco and saw one for around 300euro, but she refused to give me an appropriate solution. I had a thermostat and thermometer side my side to record the temperatures everyday and the temps were between 25 degrees Celsius/77 degrees Fahrenheit to 38 degrees Celsius/ 99 degrees Fahrenheit on most days.
The aero thermal system she has installed also never worked and malfunctioned every day causing water, mildew, and mold to build up on the floors and throughout the apartment constantly. I wish I could show you all the pictures I took everyday! I had to go to the hospital multiple times due to my reaction to the mold and mildew buildup: respiration, headaches, irritation, red itchy eyes, itchy nose, itchy mouth and throat, severe sore throat, coughing, sneezing, rashes allover my skin.
Even with Airbnb prompting, and me begging the host refused to take any real or appropriate measures to fix the issues. I was hot, sweating, sick, and uncomfortable the entire time I was there and Airbnb could not find an alternative apartment for me.
The apartment was also not sanitary and had roaches crawling on the floors, walls, and countertops. I have pictures of this too, so if you don’t want bugs in your food or cuddling with you between the sheets, beware!
I want to add that Laura’s place had many issues when I checked in and I even notified her right after checking in, so she would know and she could not blame us. The things were so glaring as we walked in, we looked at each other and said, we better document this right now. If I ever damage anything at a host’s property or notice damage, I will notify the when the incident happens or when it’s noticed. This is the same thing I would expect from a guest when I am the host.
The issues:
1. 1.	There are shelves in the closet that we could never use, because the pins that hold them will not stay.
2. 2.	We had issues with the lighting because they had several LED type lights that were wired incorrectly. I told her when I notice that some lights would not go off completely at night, because there was still a small amount of electricity going to them. This was happening in the bedroom and the bathroom. They eventually switched out the light, but she was sure to put in a light that was only 15 watts, so it was annoyingly dim, like a night-light. A licensed electrician obviously never installed her light fixtures, because LED fixtures are a simple install for some that is licensed and experienced. The day they came to change the bedroom light. She has a friend come to install it and that night, the ceiling fixture fell on my in bed while I was asleep.
3. 3.	She has a cheap night table in the bedroom that she bought from IKEA for about $20 and is super rickety.
4. 4.	She has a chip on the side of the sink where she or a previous renter damaged it. It was the first thing we told her about right after we checked in, because we could already tell by how hard it was to check in to the building and apartment, the fact that she misled us about the AC, and the livable condition of the place shows you that this was a predatory type host. The type of host that offers you a special deal and begs you everyday to take it for days, then sets you up for defeat knowing that they have false information in the listing and existing damage in the apartment that they will then try to say you did, so that they can get additional money by way of a bogus claim. It’s so dishonest, but quite a brilliant little scam.
I can’t possibly express my full disdain and disgust an for what happened at “Aquamarina” and the misery I endured in a single review, but I want to express enough here for anyone to know that they should be extremely cautious if they rent from this host. My grandmother used to say frequently as a life lesson,