You "check in" by getting keys out of a shared lockbox attached to the outside of the building. There are keys for other units in the same box. Not very secure. The unit is at the top of three very narrow flights of stairs. It was hard getting my suitcase up the stairs. It is an old building that has been outfitted with private rooms for rent. Dingy walls. Very soft mattress. Not enough room for more than one person to sleep comfortably. Great location though; one block from Spitalfields market.
That being said, I did not end up staying even one night because the bathroom was flooded when I arrived due to the rain and a leak in the ceiling. The host sent a cleaner to mop the floor and put a plastic bag over the leak. That did not contain the leak and I could not even use the toilet. He said he could not fix the leak that night, but acknowledged that this was a known problem that they hadn't yet fixed. I contacted Airbnb support who helped me cancel the reservation so I could rebook last minute with another host across the street. Jaymin never came to resolve the situation and was unresponsive after I told him I was in touch with Airbnb.