This was a truly bad and stressful experience. Stay away from these hosts if at all possible.
Here are the reasons why:
- The hosts leave a rant-style, pages long renter guide that is littered with threats of exorbitant, unbalanced fines, including a $500 fine for not agreeing to lie on the hosts behalf, the lie being that you are not staying at an airbnb and are "just visiting a friend"
- when we attempted to use the oven listed as an amenity, it did not light because it is **broken and we were not told.** The entire studio filled with gas in about 10 minutes. When I brought this up with the hosts, they evaded the issue and told me to use the provided toaster oven. This is merely a toaster and does not fit a personal pizza, so should not count as an oven amenity. The place was full of so much gas, not due to user error, that a small spark could have caused an explosion. The hosts tried to gaslight us and ignore this truth, shortly before thinly veiling a threat to leave us a negative review if we left an honest one.
- when we arrived, everything was dirty (the hosts tried to blame this on us even though we had just arrived): the floors were dirty and dusty, there were pubes along the bathroom molding, the bathroom walls were peeling off around the toilet, there were shoe marks on the walls, and most surfaces, cooking materials, and drawers were sticky with residue.
- The shampoo had not been filled for our arrival and there was only one roll of paper towels.
- Many fines are threatened in the user manual if you do not leave the place spotless, but there is no mop or broom or cleaning supplies (except for one bottle of cleaner) provided.
- The bathroom fan, range fan, oven light, and oven do not work.
- Smart TV is advertised but you can only use it to play Netflix.
- We specifically came here because I needed a place to recover from surgery. As such, I needed a full working kitchen. I told the hosts that when booking. During our stay however, not only was the oven a safety hazard, but there was only one pot and one pan and no lids. There were no measuring cups of any kind, either.
- The unit is right next to an active construction site. No mention of this in the user manual that strictly demands silent tenants.
- Generally, everything was painfully uncomfortable. It is extremely obvious that the hosts bought the cheapest possible bed, chair, and couch, so that they could say they had them in the listing. If I wasn't bedridden from the surgery, I would never have chosen to sleep in that bed. It is like a flat hard board on springs. The futon they advertise has a hard bar running through its center and is too, whether sleeping or sitting, terribly uncomfortable.
All around, from customer service to hospitality to meeting basic requirements, this place was a horrible experience with hosts that are truly AGGRESSIVE and STRESS-INDUCING. Due to this, we felt the need to vigorously document our stay with pictures, to the extent that relaxing here was impossible. They provide under the absolute BARE MINIMUM for their guests while threatening massive fines and bad reviews. The only thing I can say was nice about this place was its location. Though I have to note that the entire area outside the front of this building smells like years and years of baked in, rancid urine.
I am writing this honest review with full understanding that the hosts will negatively alter their review of me accordingly. The truth must be told, nonetheless.
Please, for your mental health, comfort, and the quality of your trip to West Hollywood, DO NOT BOOK THIS STAY.