To be honest, we had a bit of a rough start to our week-long stay at Sandy's place. The cleanliness was a big issue for me, which took 2 days to resolve. Sandy herself, as a host, was gracious, understanding and prompt in her communications. It's just that the cleaners she had hired to clean prior to our arrival overlooked so much that I was quite upset (my son has dust allergies and he was sneezing a lot the first 2 days). The place was dusty and filthy in certain areas, so after 2 days of sending in different cleaners, finally the place was cleaned to a decent standard. I was very surprised because I have stayed in Taipei numerous times before and all the other Airbnbs were truly meticulously cleaned. I am vigilant about cleanliness because my two children were staying there too.
Anyway, TLDR Sandy helped arrange two different sets of cleaners on short notice and by the 3rd day all was fine. My point is, if you aren't particular about the place being very clean, then it's fine. But if you are (especially traveling with babies or children), you should confirm with Sandy the place has been cleaned thoroughly before you arrive....
...Because apart from the cleaning debacle, we did enjoy the stay at Sandy's very much. She messages in perfect english and is prompt to reply to any query. She was out of town on the weekend we arrived, so this also contributed to the cleaning mix-ups as she wasn't able to check in on the cleaning the first day and monitor. I suspect in the future she will check the cleaners more carefully since I made a fuss.
The apartment itself is modern with one enclosed bedroom and a top open one. I wouldn't say it's "new" as the listing notes, because there is evidence of wear and tear, and I would reckon it's a couple years old. But it is definitely newer and more modern than other traditional listings in older buildings.
The bedding was comfy and Sandy kindly provided us with brand new pillows, which were very comfortable. Towels and linens were good quality.
There are tons of delicious, local restaurants in the area bc there are a few schools nearby. The MTR is about a 4 min walk away and the bus stop is around the corner (the bus system is very easy to use).
So overall, if it wasn't for the miserable cleaning issues the first 2-3 day, I would have given Sandy 5-stars. But I want to be truthful and ensure that future guests aren't shocked and that going forward, the cleaning will be to a higher standard.