The flat was minimalistic and stylish, as portrayed in the photos in the listing. The beds were very comfortable. One queen in the primary bedroom, and ample room for the queen and twin in the second bedroom. Plenty of closet space. Location was great for access to UCLA and Santa Monica. Really appreciated the two parking spots.
Despite these things, we didn’t have a 5-star stay, which ultimately was due to the flat being neglected and dilapidated, and the host being responsive but not really fixing most things.
The first night the primary bathroom sewer backed up, and we were displaced from the flat for the entire next day while they addressed the problem. They were prompt in giving it attention and insisted that it was fine for us to stay while they fixed it, but between two small children, two small dogs and the expectation to be working from home, it made no sense in such a small space with them in and out of the flat all day. We chose to be patient and understanding, but were dismayed when after they finally resolved the problem that evening, we received a text from the host that felt confrontational and scolding, as though we managed to clog the pipes in our first 6 hours while sleeping in the rental. We were nervous to mention anything after our exchange that first day, but frustrated enough that basic amenities were not working and so we finally reached out. Although the hosts were reasonably responsive, very few of the concerns we raised were addressed in a timely manner, if resolved at all. For example, the kitchen sink never got hot water, even after being “fixed.” The diverter in the primary bathroom fell apart, making showers impossible, and was also never fixed. The door handle in the primary bedroom kept popping off, and they fixed it once, only for it fall off the next time we opened the door. Of the five chairs surrounding the kitchen table, only 1 of them seemed to have all of the screws. After multiple requests, we managed to get 4 repaired to the point they felt safe to sit in, but delicately. Aside from things needing repairs, we were shocked at how dirty high traffic areas such as walls, doors and door knobs were. They were streaked grayish black grime in every room (which are no longer dirty, because we cleaned them, but we have pictures).
I hate to leave a bad review. This is actually my first. But our experience seems more than a one off, and when choosing stays, I would appreciate someone being honest to help me gauge whether a property is a good fit for a long term stay like this was for our family.