I feel awful for giving bad reviews. I have used AIRBNB since 2012 so I am very familiar with what's standard.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to give them a 5 star bc of the cost/night (fantastic deal for the location) and beautiful neighborhood (Altadena million dollar residences, feral peacocks, proximity to Pasadena, spacious and private entrance) but the cleanliness and guest accommodations were HORRENDOUS. This is not an artistic barn. There are almost zero decorations and nothing artistic lives in this garage. It's not barn-themed either.
It's like the hosts have never experienced what it is like to be an AIRBNB guest, to be traveling away from home. Cheap flimsy polyester sheets and one thin old blanket. Bareboned place to stay. Hostels have nicer bedding and a accommodations. Not even paper plates or paper cups for guests to use at the microwave and fridge. What's the point in having a kettle if there are ZERO CUPS. They had a hot water kettle that didn't fit under the bathroom faucet. No guest directory, rules, suggestions, places to visit, etc. No full-size mirror so you have only the tiny bathroom mirror above the sink to look at how you present yourself to the world while you're traveling. No window opening possible for fresh air bc they cut off the knob. You can only get air circulation from using the incredibly noisy AC or a dust-filled fan they provide. Not even a pen or pencil or paper pad. Layers of dust EVERYWHERE and on EVERYTHING and in every corner, shelf, wall. Coffee grounds spilled on the floor and everywhere inside the fridge.
Maybe the cleaning crew wasn't hired for the last guest?!??!! It smelled like kitty litterboxes/dog poop and the place was not cleaned after the last guest. They gave me half a roll of toilet paper at arrival for a Tues-Mon stay. Wth! The bathmats literal had sooty shoe prints and grime from the last guest. I asked for one additional blanket and pillow cover and they didn't reply until the day I checked out.
Because the garage room is next to the washer/dryer, I found the cleaning supplies cleaned the place myself. I wiped down greasy fingerprints, grime, and layers of dust from the microwave /fridge, shelves/desk/doorknobs, mopped the general walkable open area with the dirty bathmats, scrub cleaned & disinfected the toilet, the sink, etc before I felt even remotely safe to unpack. I found a cleaning spray and Febreze and used them. With the cleaning fee charge and AIRBNB certified COVID Guarantee, I assumed that I would be coming into a decently cleaned, disinfected place to stay. I did a load of laundry (2 bathmats, 1 bath towel, and 1 hand towel - from "Holiday Inn") before I could even use the shower.
So let's say my version of clean is more strict than other people. And that maybe I should and could have asked them to come clean after my arrival. But this is during COVID TIMES. It should've been spotless to begin with and I shouldn't have to ask them to clean it while I wait outside and not unpack for the hours required to fully clean and disinfect the place. I booked it months in advance.
They had a USED BAR OF SOAP for guests and the shower had grease stains on the shower wall. Who does that during a pandemic?!?!??! Their handsoap at the sink was gross dirty and had only 1/8 of a full container. I had to go out and buy my own. REALLY?!?!?!
Another guest mentioned that the bed was awful and that he would have slept better if he was camping - I agree with him 1000%. Bed was so hard that I would have slept better in a hostel sharing a bunkbed. But this was the pandemic. You'd think they'd double the cleanliness. I wish AIRBNB would allow pictures to be posted bc I took pictures of the toilet hairs, uncleaned toilet, dirty bathmats, gross dust and grime everywhere, etc.
10 stars for their Wi-Fi, location, curb appeal, privacy, and extremely cute Shiba Inu.
I never met Renee. She didn't introduce herself or greet me. John said hi when he walked the dog and told me about the feral peacocks (which I appreciated). When they dropped off the toilet paper request on my first night, I really appreciated it. But then they basically ignored me for the rest of my stay which made me feel not welcomed as a guest.
If you are the type of AIRBNB guest that wants an inexpensive bareboned place to stay and don't mind an unhygienic place to stay, this is your place (unless the hosts upgrade their cleaning crew and the accommodations). I only booked this place for the cost, location, and positive reviews others gave it.
Note to self - you get what you pay for.