This is the first time that I have given a property 3 stars or less in the 10 years I've been using AirBnB
We rented a different property from Capital Residencies then received an email the day of departure stating that there was a "water leak" at the property we had rented and would we accept a substitution about 8 blocks away. We had no alternative but to agree. In hind sight it smells like a bait and switch.
The"host", which apparently is a real estate corporation was not responsive to requests.
You have to to take a "Day 2" Covid test upon arriving in England. I ordered home tests to be delivered to the apartment. Capital Residencies (CR) assured me that they would accept delivery and make sure we got the tests. After I received notification from the Royal Mail that they had been delivered, I wrote CR and asked them to put them aside for us. After receiving no answer for a week, I wrote again. They said they would check, but did not find the tests, so I had to spend another 195 pounds to purchase tests at a testing center.
We arrived after nightfall. There is no lighting at the door to the building so we used our phone flashlights to obtain the room key and to activate the electronic lock to the building.
When we entered the room it had a musty/moldy smell. There is no welcome book with information about the apartment, restaurants in the area or WiFi code. We spent the first 2 hours trying to get the WiFi code. We could not get in touch with CR. The cleaning lady was able to get the code for us eventually. Cell phone reception was not good in this basement apartment (which they told us was "ground level") and we needed the WiFi to receive the results of our Covid Test as we had to quarantine till we received a negative test result.
There is no sunlight coming into the apartment at all. There is a window in the master bedroom that looks out into a 7 X 7 foot courtyard full of utility items. The window is half covered with bird shit.
The master bedroom bed is only a full size, the other two beds are twin size. No top sheets on the beds, only a duvet. One of the twin size beds had a duvet cover covered with stains that appeared to be from sexual discharge.
The master bath has no hot water coming out of the shower head, the fixture must be faulty as there was hot water in the sink faucet and the kitchen faucet. There was a leak in-between the pipe coming out of the wall and the master bath shower head that sprayed over the top of the shower door onto the toilet paper rack and floor. I wrote them about both of these problems during our stay with no response from CR. The soap they provide are those little 1 by 2 inch bars that you get from Motel 6, or other cheap motels, not what I'd expect from a 400 dollar a night apartment.
The kitchen is nice, but I pulled a knife out of the butcher block and it was crusted with food from a previous tenant. The stove top was not clean and the oven tray was not clean. No condiments at all, so you have to purchase your own salt, pepper etc. Very few dishes. Four bowls, one chipped, 7 plates, 5 glasses, 4 wine glasses, silverware, a couple of serving spoons, wine bottle/beer opener and a spatula. One 7 inch fry pan, 3 saute' pots. Only the right 2 slots of the 4 slot toaster works. The stove, refrigerator and dishwasher worked well. The washing machine is a washer/dryer combo that does not really dry clothes, so you'll have to hang them up.
We needed groceries and asked the cleaning lady where the closest grocery store was. She told us that we were asking too many questions and left. After walking for 25 minutes one way to get some groceries that evening we discovered a Whole Foods Market 5 minutes away the next day, which was really nice for the rest of our stay. The Kensington High Street Subway Station is about a 6 minute walk away, very convenient.
The apartment building is right next to the Islamic Republic of Iran Consulate and was vandalized with paint while we were there. There is a gathering of people waiting for services every morning. I'd appreciate knowing something like this in advance as I may have chosen not to stay next to a property that could be a target for violence.
I have really enjoyed staying in the homes of individuals over the years, and understand that each place has it's own quirks and curiosities. This was a corporate property owned by people that really don't care. In hindsight it seems like a bait and switch to me. It didn't wreck our trip, but definitely did not improve it.