I was looking for a place that has a lift and washing machine and this one has them. One day before my arrival date, I sent Missy a message asking the detail location and the check in process (in my airbnb experience, superhosts usually give these details at least 1 day before arrival). She replied but still did not give me the address. 12 hours before I get on my flight to Istanbul, I asked her again as I need to fill out some paper from Turkish govt. relating to travel during Covid-19. She replied. A few hours later (6 hours before my flight take off), she messaged me telling me that previous guest in the flat I booked tested positive for covid and wasn't allowed to leave premises by the government. So she's moving me to another flat in another building across the street from my initial booking. She didn't inform me what my options were (i.e. refund), nor did she tell me the amenities in the new building. She only sent me the link of the new place (it's also listed on airbnb) after I asked. The flat she's moving me too was listed as airbnb plus. I asked if there's a washing machine, she said no but she offered to wash my clothes. As I only had 6 hours left before departure and had to go to airport, I agreed to be moved cause the location is the same (only different building), she offered to do my laundry and even though the new flat doesn't have self check in/out option, I thought it wasn't gonna be much of a problem. When I arrived, she was already waiting by the front door and helped carrying our luggage upstairs (the flat is on the top floor). I was surprised by the absence of a lift as I thought the flat she moved us too had an elevator just like the one we booked. It is, after all, an airbnb plus listing. I asked her why there's no elevator and she said every building in the neighbourhood doesn't have one. What a lie. One of the reason I booked her place was because it had an elevator (based on the reviews and I saw it myself when I was there). The new place itself had a very quirky design and A LOT of ornaments that are often in the way of doing everyday things. It was very dark even with all the lights out and depressing as well because the wall was painted black (quite different from the pict on airbnb). After 2 days, my husband offered to contact airbnb and ask for refund or new place. But out of fear for our security (cause we were still her property), I decided just to continue staying there cause there's only few days left anyway and I've felt like we've hit rock bottom with this place, how much worse can it get?
Oh wrong I was... The water heater broke down the last 2 days I was there so I had to boil some water if I got home late at night and needed to shower. The host said she had fixed the water heater but nope, still not working until I left. On the day I left, my husband and I checked out at 10 am but store our luggage on the building across. The host wasn't there but the cleaning lady was. She was very nice and helped us with our luggage and then we left to do some last minute shopping before heading to the airport. When we were paying for our stuff, my husband realized that the cleaning lady didn't ask for the keys and it was still with him. I texted the host and she demanded that we return the key right at that moment because the cleaning lady need to clean the room for next guest. That makes no sense, because they have the spare keys they always use whenever they did my laundry and it was still 11 am and we'll be back before 12 am anyway. So I don't understand the rush to clean the room when technically, we didn't overstay our rent. When we finally left, I immediately contacted airbnb and told them my story of how I was being checked in to a property different than I was booked in. They explain to me that basically when that happens, for whatever reason, you always have the right to ask for refund or they can help find different accommodation as long as you haven't checked out from the place. Because in my case, it already happened (I already completed my stay), they couldn't do anything. So all I could do now is to share my experience so that other guests wouldn't have to go through the same experience I did, especially regarding this host. She's helpful when asked but very rarely did she give information voluntarily, even important ones. Because of time difference between my country and turkey, I would've appreciated more info way ahead of my arrival in turkey. The issue with previous guest catching covid was shared to me in the last hours before my flight, which I found to be very dodgy 'cause in my opinion, she must've known for some time 'cause they should've long checked out by the time the host informed me. I've read great reviews on the place and the host but it certainly wasn't my experience because I did not stay in the place that I booked and my experience communicating with the host wasn't the best one either.