*Warning* Cohost Brendan was entering my room when I was not there, and walked in on me when I was completely naked.
I am sure he is a decent person, but this isn't really acceptable host behavior.
I reported this incident to Airbnb and had to move out. Other issues include, but are not limited to:
1.) There is no trashcan here. You will be instructed to throw your trash at the Ximending public trashcans. No comment on the legality/inconvenience of that.
2.) Front door remains unlocked. Considering the general safety of Taiwan, It's just a minor issue, in my opinion.
3.) Extremely strict about having anyone over, even for long term guests. One day it was very cold and windy outside and I asked if I could let my friend step in for just a few minutes while I change clothes before we head off and was abruptly and loudly told NO and that I would be charged 5,000 NTD if he set foot in the door.
A little surprised, but those are there rules so what's fair is fair. The only problem I have is that on numerous occasions they take their friends/customers inside, upstairs so I guess it's not a problem when they do it.
HYPOCRITICAL.
And there were a number of them late at night and I could hear them while *trying* to sleep. Again, this wouldn't be a big issue for me and I wouldn't even complain since I'm pretty flexible, but it's just the hypocrisy that bothers me.
4.) I remember mention of a rooftop. This isn't even shown to you during the checkin tour as I guess you can't really use it. So it's a little extra bothersome when you have other people up there late at night who can for some reason use it.
5.) There is *probably* bed bugs here. I had at least 5 red bug bite marks on my legs within about a week of staying there. I run a lot so I take a good look at my legs almost daily.
6.) Bathroom situation is awkward to say the least. You have to walk into someone else's room to use the bathroom. So if it's late, or early, you are easily waking them up, or it just feels like you are in their room...which you kind of are. I'd rather walk downstairs to use the other bathroom than do that, but the other bathroom downstairs didn't even have a trashcan.
7.) People enter your room when you are not there. When Brendan entered my room without knocking or saying a word..just walked right in..I screamed and asked what the hell he was doing and why he was coming into my room like that.
His reply was that he didn't think I was there...when you think about that answer, I'm not sure if that makes things better or worse.
Anyways, I just want to reiterate I don't think the hosts are bad people (actually I never interacted with the main host, only the cohost Brendan). Just seems maybe a bad incident that I hope can learn from.
The place would probably be about 3.5 or 4 stars for a short term stay of a few days if they just added a couple of trashcans, and didn't have the hypocritical rule of no guests meanwhile they have a group of people on the rooftop latenight. And of course, it goes without say, if they didn't enter your room when you are not there.
If you have any close friends, or a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, this place isn't ideal for longterm stay as the policy is strictly no one allowed. This is written in their Chinese listing description.
Location is quite good.
Price is very good.
Nice bar/restaurant on bottom floors.
Good communication from hosts.
Good job of providing a few extras like mosquito repellant, hair dryer, extra blankets, etc.
-Saul