My mother and I stayed at Ivas & Alex's place for 3 nights while exploring Koreatown.
Pros: Location to Koreatown was great, check in was easy, parking was a real plus, and the hosts were very nice. The room was modest but comfortable, with a desk which was useful, and a nice large closet and mini-fridge. Kitchen provided powdered coffee and teas.
Cons: Bathroom was completely crowded with the hosts personal items, so much so, that we did not have counter space for our own items. Bathroom was quite dirty, and the shower curtain was coated in mold. Kitchen was also quite dirty and counters were covered in different food items of others living in the apartment. There were also quite a few more guests in the apartment than advertised (advertised that just the room adjacent to us might have Airbnb guests). We saw at least 4 people, including the host who was sleeping in the living room. Personally, this is not an issue, but I do think this needs to be listed in the advertisement so individuals are aware when they book.
Honestly, I would likely not have even mentioned the negatives as I hate giving poor reviews, however, when I checked out I received an email from the host asking that I give them a 5 star review or do not review at all, as lower stars will bring their overall score down. I do not think this is appropriate as I believe Airbnb should be built on honesty, and reviews are often how individuals (including myself!) decide on what place is right for them to book. This frustrated me, because had I been aware of the true state of this apartment when I was looking, I may not have booked it (as my mother was meeting me in L.A. & I wanted her to be comfortable). I do not think this ad was an appropriate representation of the space & more than that, I think guests should be able to give an honest review of their stay & give the stay the stars that it earned, without feeling pressured to do otherwise.