Overall, I was really underwhelmed and disappointed with this place. The price was somewhat affordable compared to other listings in the area, so I expected it be bare bones. No big deal. But I did not expect it to be quite so uncomfortable and I'm very curious to know where that $200 cleaning fee is going. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, it could be that Craftstay is very new to hosting. There were just a lot of things that could have been so much better with some more thoughtfulness and accurate amenities.
However, I'll start with a few positive things. The location is fantastic. Close to some great restaurants, a Whole Foods, Old Town Pasadena and the Gold Line (which would take you to other parts of Pasadena, South Pasadena, Highland Park and downtown LA, among other places). Parking was weird, not guaranteed and really should have been described a bit more in the listing. But it WAS free! The few issues I brought up in the 1st day or 2 of our stay were quickly addressed by the host. There was a cleanliness issue (visibly dirty air filter) discovered because the AC was not functioning when we arrived. They were quick to respond and help us figure out how to turn it on, and they brought a new air filter the next day. The other frustrating thing was a number of missing amenities that were included in the listing. There were a couple pots, but not a single pan or any cooking oil. All of which are included in the listing. I mentioned it to the host and they brought over the missing items, which I really appreciated since we planned to cook quite a bit that week.
Now onto the really disappointing things. Cleanliness, especially during a pandemic feels like a really important thing to ensure for guests. The shower was in need of a deep scrub and the stovetop had not been cleaned after the last guests. There were visible bits of food/grease on the touchpad of the stove, which of course made me wonder what else they had overlooked. There were also no cleaning supplies — another thing missing from the listed amenities. I really don't think there's any excuse for charging a large cleaning fee and serving up a dirty place. During COVID.
This is NOT a 1 bedroom. It's a studio with an installed partition that does not reach the ceiling. It has a sliding door, but closing it makes no difference in the noise reaching the bedroom from elsewhere in the apartment. Also kinda feel like there's no excuse for this misrepresentation.
There was indeed a nice work desk and the dinging room table was great for working from as well. Having the wifi cut out and have to be reset at least once a day was not so great.
The bed was really bad. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I honestly thought after my first night of no sleep that I was laying on a box spring. It's that firm. I had to check, and when I did, discovered there was no mattress pad. Another pretty basic thing that not only enhances comfort, but protects the mattress and makes guests feel like you care about cleanliness. This was so gross to me and would have been such a simple fix. I bought my own to use for the week.
I think that's everything you need to know. I have never had such a disappointing stay with Airbnb. I will definitely not be recommending homes managed by Craftstay in the future.