Nice apartment but bad and shady experience with the host. In my six Airbnb years, I’ve never experienced such a host. Until today, I don’t know if my privacy has been violated and if I’ve been recorded (video/audio?) by two installed cameras, overlooking the apartment. Two cameras that weren’t listed anywhere or mentioned to me anytime. The host claims that these were “only” moving detectors and “not on”, however, until today, I have no proof that this is true. The tenant before wrote a similar review. One camera overlooking the bed and kitchen is covered (but audio?), the other camera has an unmistakable “uncovered” lense, overlooking the study and sofa area. Being a solo traveling girl, I feel horrible about this situation, and the uncertainty of not knowing what/if I have been recorded in any way, leaves me insecure, scared, and humiliated. Of course, my parents outraged. That the host was watching my private WhatsApp stories, threatens me with a lawyer, claiming I would have damaged his reputation as I reported the case to Airbnb and damaged the apartment (blinds), it all just adds. I would like to forget about this horrible host experience but I understand I “have” to write this review:
I moved to Madrid to study why I rented Ignacio's apartment for a month while looking for a long-term apartment. The apartment is on the 6th-floor apartment without an elevator why I asked Ignacio upfront for help with my 2 luggage. He helped which was nice as, without him, I wouldn’t be able to carry them up these narrow stairs. However, he welcomed me in such a rush, as, how he wrote me before, he wanted to be with his family that day (holiday). I felt that every question I asked is too much as he just wanted to leave. He only gave me the Wifi paper. Upon him leaving, I asked about that small door across my apartment and if I’d have neighbors as I would like to practice a bit guitar if it would possible but I don’t want to disturb anyone of course. He waved it off and said “It is nothing” and that I can practice guitar without a problem. The only neighbor I have is an 88 years old woman downstairs.
The apartment was nice, in a good location for my school, so since I was looking for a long-term apartment, I asked him the next day if it would be possible to rent the apartment for six months (my previous apartment I also rented for one month and then made a long-term contract).
The next day at 11 pm, I suddenly heard the noises of a man in front of my door, so I got scared as Ignacio said I have no neighbors upstairs. I wrote him about it and 45min later he replied that there is actually a couple living in that “small door” but that I can feel safe, only he and they have the key for the door accessing the “two apartments”, etc.
The next morning was the Madrid “record” snowfall and the apartment ice cold. I don’t put on heating during the night as the heater was too noisy. When I tried to pull up the tiny blinds, by almost not touching them, one line broke and three of the five blinds stuck in the upper part and I couldn’t pull them down again. I wrote Ignacio, asking if someone could come to fix them as without blinds, the apartment is light during the night, and during the day, I was exposed. Alternatively, I asked if he had a screwdriver so I could try to fix them myself. I couldn’t, so I asked him to send someone to repair them. He said it’s not possible as of the snow but he would send someone “asap”. I didn’t find this very helpful and assumed that he just didn't feel like it. The apartment is in the middle of the city, people including myself were normally walking despite the snow, so he could have just sent a handyman from the neighborhood, they were plenty.
He became rude in his communication, giving me the fault, claiming he would have told me to treat the fragile blinds with care. That was false as at my arrival he didn’t explain me a thing and certainly, nothing about fragile blinds. Then, he told me, that I could leave and get another accommodation for these days. Also this I found irritating as he knew that I was stuck with my luggage on the 6th floor and cannot just carry them down without help. Only if I knew a person in the neighborhood (which I didn’t). So, the weekend I was exposed to open windows and light at night that made me feel uncomfortable. Two days later, he and his wife came to fix the blinds. His wife gave me a disparaging look as I didn’t speak any Spanish yet. During around 1.5 hours they tried to fix the blinds while I was just sitting on the sofa, being blocked to follow my schedule. Ignacio mentioned that the blinds are so fragile because he couldn’t find proper blinds for these tiny windows. Eventually, they fixed the blinds.
Upon booking the apartment, I only found good reviews but as I found Ignacio’s overall behavior unkind and a bit strange (he also watched my private WhatsApp stories), 7 days later, I went to check again his Airbnb reviews. For the first time, I saw the previous tenant’s review about the cameras and privacy violation. I was shocked, went to check and saw there was a camera installed, overlooking the apartment, although covered with a carton. I felt very unsafe and scared, so I decided to write to Airbnb. However, two days or so later, I suddenly saw Ignacio’s reply, claiming the camera is only a “moving detector” and “not on”. I believed him, however, kept a strange and uncomfortable feeling. And then, 3 days before my stay