Overall, I am very disappointed with this experience. This flat is probably nice in the winter months, but if you sleep warm, or just like it to be cooler when you’re sleeping, be aware that you have to request fans (they are not in the flat as would be expected), and hope someone will bring them to you at a reasonable time. If you feel that the estimated delivery time of the fans is too late to be reasonable, you won't receive help from the host or AirBNB about a full refund (see cons below).
- PROS: Quick response, keys and flat were easy to locate. Rooms were decent size. She provided snacks which was a nice touch.
- CONS: Upon our arrival to the flat at around 1600, it was hot (almost 24C, despite the high being 22.7C that day) and stagnant. The listing states that there is a new ventilation system to aid with air flow and that she “provides fans in the bedrooms for a cooler sleep during those months it is needed.” When I contacted her about the fans, she did respond quickly, and indicated that she would ask someone who lives in the complex to bring them. We left our luggage and went to a nearby pub down the corner for dinner. While there, Naomi messaged me stating that a neighbor would drop the fans off when she got off of work as a nurse around 22:00. After discussing it with my group, we felt that we are going to be in for a very hot night, and were concerned that the fans, whenever they eventually arrived, would not be enough. I expressed my concerns about my husband not being able to sleep with the temperature in the flat, and requested to change the reservation to just one night instead of 4. She refused. I asked again, as at that point, we had booked a hotel down the street for the next 3 nights and were willing to accept one night of poor sleep. I asked her one last time to accept my request and stated I would just cancel the entire reservation if need be. At that time, she directed me to contact AirBNB to assist me with my request. I submitted my request to AirBNB to cancel by 1730 that evening and to get a full refund due to the fact that the flat is advertised as having fans available when needed, and yet would not be able to get the fans to us until at least 22:00. I am unsure at what time others would feel that waiting for fans would be too late, but after traveling and wanting to get to bed at a decent hour, we did not feel that waiting that long was really acceptable. The host has continued to be unwilling to work with me about an acceptable refund. She is aware that the keys were returned by 1915 (after we finished dinner), and contact was made with AirBNB to cancel (per her instructions) that same day. However, she charged me a service fee ($177.82) plus two nights of the four, despite the fact that the request for cancellation was started within 2 hours of arrival to the flat. Since then, I have again requested to be refunded for at least the 3 nights as nothing was used in the flat, and cancellation was initiated the day of arrival. This was also denied.