As I walked through the door, my impressions of Catherine’s flat were impressive. The photographs clearly capture it’s style and decor. Additionally, Catherine was quick to respond to communications and gave the opinion of genuinely wanting me to enjoy my stay; even to the extent of offering some chilled lager in the fridge. Although I don’t drink lager, I did consider this to be a kind gesture on her behalf.
Unfortunately, I can’t in all conscience leave my review there. I wish I (and Catherine) had taken heed of the numerous reviews of the flat stating that cleanliness was a concern. There were a number of ‘basic’ cleanliness issues (particularly in the kitchen and bathroom) such as mould, dirty/ unswept floors, dirty dishes left in the dishwasher and dirty cups, cutlery and dishes in cupboards that really negatively effected what would otherwise have been a great trip.
I understand that Catherine lives in the flat and that she may spend large amounts of time away from it due to work/ travels. Despite these factors, despite how nice the flat decor is and despite how nice Catherine seems to be, I would have considered it necessary to clean the flat before renting it out to anyone... particularly when a cleaning charge is applied to the cost. Unfortunately, the cleanliness issues were sufficient to have outweighed the good points and now left me with a sense of being somehow duped.