I loved Venice and the cool Venice beach with its bars, restaurants, shops, skate park and street musicians.
The room at Thac’s is very nice. Right at the front door, so no necessity to walk through the house. Bed and pillow are very comfortable. Check-in was good since Thac was at home. I appreciated the possibility to make myself a coffee in the morning. I appreciated also the morning coat and the map. There was also a little electric heater in the room that I appreciated very much since the nights were still chilly.
I missed a TV or radio that would provide me with news in the morning (it‘s war out there in Europe!!!)
I missed an „old good“ (sustainable and always available) toilet brush!
I didn’t like the monitoring. The front door and the entrance area inside/hallway are monitored day and night. Though the light of the cameras is well visible, it would be in my opinion appropriate if the host had mentioned and explained the fact that they are there!
I didn’t dare to use any items. As I asked if I may use the mixer to make myself a smoothie there was silence for a while followed by a very hesitating o…k…
I didn’t like the communication much. Every other question I asked was replied to with a „you can read instructions“. Well, surely I can but, if there is a person in front of me I expect that the person will show me the house (meaning areas of the house that matter for me) and explain me things.
The house (especially the entrance area) on the outside needs urgently maintenance. A bit of wood filler and white paint: I would fix it myself in two days at max but… well, not my house.
The way to the beach is walkable (30 minutes) but it’s better to take a bus since there are a few homeless people’s camps on the way. No worries, the people don’t bother anybody, but it’s nicer for both parties (I think). The bus number 33 going every few minutes departs right around the corner (Venice/Lincoln) and takes you in a few minutes to Venice beach (for 1$) or Santa Monica (for 1.5$). Both beaches are connected so you can go to Santa Monica beach by bus and walk back to Venice Beach along the beach. It’s really close. Between Santa Monica and Venice there is a bicycle truck offering nice bicycles with locks for 10$ the Hour or 30$ per whole day.
Maybe I didn’t look right but I saw online, black on white that the accommodation was advertised with whirlpool and pool. There is none of both at Thac’s. There is a nice and quiet garden with a table but that’s it.
If you are a lone lady traveller, I wouldn’t recommend to you to go out towards beach area on Tuesday evening. On Tuesdays most restaurants and shops at the beach are closed and only very few people are out there. Ghost town. I was asked on late Tuesday afternoon, if I go out for a dinner. I didn’t know yet. Then as I saw that the host started cooking - without asking me if I want to join him in cooking. I would contribute the groceries I had but if the house owner doesn’t ask or suggest it… Maybe I was wrong but I understood the intention of the question as a: „get out of the house please, I want to cook for myself.“
Maybe I was spoiled by great super hosts who integrated me in their lives, even in their gardening!
But let’s skip integration. After all, traveling alone is my choice but, if I pay plenty of money for accommodation, I expect that I can at least stay in „my“ room or in the garden when I feel like to do so without feeling like an unwanted person. And nobody should ask a lone traveling lady to go out on Tuesday evening in Venice!
The checkout time was at 11. I left my room at 10:15 or 10:20 to make it easier for Thac since he was expecting the next guest but he acted as if it was a big deal and a very big favor to allow me to store my luggage in the hallway (not disturbing anybody) till 1 though he was at home. I picked it up at 12:15 and headed towards the airport earlier than I had to.
Maybe I will return to Venice one day. It’s a very nice spot with a very special flair but for a while it was my last Airbnb experience. I will go to a hotel where I can stay or leave whenever I want to without explaining myself and without being monitored and no hotel had ever denied luggage storing. Airbnb is for me cultural exchange, communication, conversation, a home base abroad. Though everything was OK and worked, I didn’t feel very welcomed this time.