This house should not be up for rental. We booked for a week with our two children and a puppy, as we were desperate for somewhere to stay when builder's trashed our home. It was a last minute booking.
We were told by Paul, the host, just before we arrived that he'd 'done what he could' with cleaning as didn't have much time, and our towels were on the banisters. He also said could we let a man in to measure up for blinds mid week and that he ran a walking group who met in our 'private' garden on Wednesdays but that wouldn't disturb us. The garden is directly outside the kitchen. He said there would be work going on in the cellar, so I said if it was minimal and not accessed from within the property, it was ok, as we were super limited at short notice where we could stay, Paul said it was, but the cellar door was in the kitchen.
The worst of it was the state of the house. Filthy, stained sofas and rugs, there was a plastic tub in the kitchen with something mouldy growing in it, right next to the mugs. Half drunk milk in the fridge and a frosted over freezer full of half opened food.
Stairways were dirty and uncleaned, the owner's belongings were everywhere. All his coats and jackets in the entrance hall, along with his keys and a bowl of money. His jackets and coats were hung on the back of the bedroom doors, and belongings piled up in the front room.
There were personal photos around, it looked like he had literally just left the house.
The 'guest' towels, were left damp and drying, draped over the dirty stair banisters.
There was some kind of loft conversion going on, with easy access from the main house, just up another flight of stairs, with wires trailing everywhere, doors propped up and rails of his clothes and shoes, which he casually told us he would be popping back in to get a few of them at some point.
To charge £172 a night for this unsafe, dirty house was outrageous. There were clowns everywhere, and in the back garden area, our children found rusty swords and a pick axe within reach in a bar area.
This man is a charlatan. Do not stay here unless you are ok with all of the above. The photos do not show what a filthy, odd and creepy place this is. The whole house smelt musty. Our children are terrified to stay there and they are 10 and 12!
I have had such brilliant experiences before this with Airbnb, it was such a shame, and as we couldn't stay there, we were left late on bank holiday Sunday, desperately trying to find another property, and ended up crashing at a friends house whilst they were away.
I literally took photos and left. Airbnb thankfully refunded us the whole amount.
If Paul's place is still listed, which I think it shouldn't be, I would think very carefully about staying here, and definitely not with a dog or children. I am astonished he has had any good reviews at all. The only positive thing is it is a large house and the location is really good.