We chose Vivienne due to many positive recommendations. It looked clean and in a nice area, although small. But then there would also be the living room and kitchen to stay in.
In addition, Vivienne assured no dog near our room- as my son is allergic.
We left home 3am to fly. Still no sound from Vivienne about checkin time or, how to best get from the airport. She'd had our email/questions weeks ago.... So for all we know she's flexible as stated on Airbnb.
We found our way, but when we check out the exact address at 10am, about 100m from Vivienne, there's a message asking when we'll arrive and that we can't check in until 2pm.
We continue, since this is late notice and we are close, also very tired. Now disturbed, too, and we ask Vivienne for guidance on how to get in, since we don't know what to expect- nothing appears to be like on the photos.
Upon arrival, we sit in the public garden surrounded by the small houses. Getting something to drink, eat and calling Vivienne, who hasn't answered any replies to her that we are in fact on the way.
Now she calls us from her door, explaining: she had extra guests, they're having breakfast together, she didn't see any messages, actually she nearly cancelled us, so we were lucky.... What we'd be doing?
We told Harry Potter and Oxford full day next day, but that couldn't be done according to Vivienne...until she heard it was a package tour, and we didn't have an exact time for return.
She showed us to the room, moving stuff to fit us in. It was small, about 150x300m, the two madrases overlapping to fit in.
We crashed for a while, and coming down to more explanations about Vivienne now staying in the living room, she had been sleeping in our room last night, our places in the kitchen, we're 5 guests etc etc
It smelled of dog everywhere, and the poor old dog had its things in the kitchen.
We went shopping for breakfast, went on tour in the area and city. None of the surroundings look like the photos.
Coming back with shopping and after tour, Vivienne would sit wit the TV turned up in volume an an open door to the kitchen. The atmosphere in the house was really- should we say - not relaxed, rather tense for some reason.
I was tired, but wanted also to discuss that this wasn't right. So I sent a message to Vivienne about my views to discuss. Shortly after, she appeared in our door shouting for nearly 30min, making my son afraid. I had her calmed down, and we agreed to talk next day. I was aware this was a first impression, we're tired and I could be wrong about some observations.
Waking up 7am to go to Harry Potter/Oxford tour, Vivienne was outside our door telling me, we had to pack and leave now before 11am. No point discussing, also my son had had problems with the dog due to his allergic, so we definitely had to leave.
We packed, had breakfast, asked to leave our luggage and food shopping, which was confirmed.
We did not know when the tour ended, Vivienne suggested 5pm and I confirmed that she'd probably know.
We came back about 9pm to pickup our things, going straight from the bus at Bakerloo Station to Vivienne. It was a hassle, since the line serving Parsons Green was closed.
Vivienne was constantly on email, Airbnb called me more times on the way, as we didn't arrive 5pm. I could only offer the timing given by the bus driver.
Arriving, Vivienne had packed all ready to go - except for 1/2 the food. She was blaming us for intentionally obstructing her evening, and life, and not in a very nice language.
We've claimed a full refund, but before getting this far, we've been charged about GBP 160 for this ONE-NIGHT experience with Vivienne.
I am not happy at all!!!