It pains me to write this review, but I feel it necessary to share our experience.
Let me begin by stating I have stayed on Catalina maybe a dozen times over the years and love all it offers, including the variety of lodging options. However, this stay was my first time booking through Airbnb and Catalina Vacations, and it's unlikely I will do so again. If you are considering a stay in Catalina, you have probably realized how expensive accommodations are, which is why paying an exorbitant amount for a subpar stay is not a memory anyone wants to leave with. Unfortunately, that is what happened to us this time around.
This trip to Catalina was a dual 40th birthday celebration with 12 adults. We chose this accommodation because it sleeps six and is close to town. Booking the reservation was simple, and the host (Catalina Vacations) helped answer my questions.
Upon arriving at Bahia Vista, we were excited to experience what seemed to be a charming older island complex. The complex is comprised of separate buildings that surround a courtyard and pool. Both the pool and jacuzzi were drained during our visit, which was not surprising since it was mentioned in the listing. Our unit was on the 3rd floor, C63.
Warning: There are stairs everywhere! Based on the listing and reviews, we did expect some stairs into the complex and inside our unit. What we didn't expect was needing to climb or descend three flights of wooden stairs when the elevator wasn't working. In addition, when it did work, it was very unnerving as it was slow to respond to the lift, descent, and opening of the doors.
The unreliable elevator made it so that one of our guests had to find separate accommodations after the first night. Unlucky for us, the elevator wasn't working at checkout, so we had to carry the luggage down the stairs. Our taxi driver saw the efforts made to manage the luggage down the stairs and commented to us that the elevator must not be working again, and then asked, "Did you pay to stay here?".
Fortunately, the elevator was working upon our arrival, but it wasn't an easy ride as the space inside was tiny and could only accommodate 2-3 of us at a time with our luggage, so we took turns going up.
After exiting the elevator, several tiled stairs lead to a hallway of front doors. Once inside the front door, there is an entryway, then more tiled stairs up to the living room and kitchen area. Off of this main room is a patio with stunning views of the ocean, Avalon, and Casino. Surprisingly, the kitchen is minimally stocked for as many people as the place sleeps.
After settling in, we attempted to connect to the WIFI network, but it was not working, so I immediately reached out on Airbnb. The following day we got a response and resolution, which ended up as us connecting to the neighbor's WIFI. It did work, but it was not a reliable connection.
The next issue to note is the loss of power we experienced the first night of our stay. We noticed it mid-evening when a box fan in the living room started powering on and off and assumed the issue to be the fan. Note: The host provides box fans since the unit doesn't have air conditioning. These boxes of gold are necessary as temperatures were in the 90s that weekend.
Fast forward to midnight, when everyone is going to bed and setting up their bedroom box fans. It's at this point we realize that all the fans are powering on and off as well as the lights. Since there wasn't anything to be done at that time of night, we kept the fans plugged in and hoped the issue would work itself out, but it didn't. A couple of hours later, we unplugged the fans since the noise from them powering on and off was so loud it kept anyone from sleeping. We then opened all the doors and windows, but the night air was still and hot. Note: The window in the primary bedroom does not have a screen and sits against a dirt hill. Also, two of the slider doors do not have screens, which I feel may be why the unit has a bug problem. During our three days there, we dealt with more bugs and spiders than we would have had we slept outside. It was crazy!!
Following the first night of sweat and tears, I contacted support again regarding the WIFI and to bring up the power issue. Shortly after is when I received the response I mentioned earlier about the neighbor's WIFI log-in. The response also informed me an electrician would be out. When our group returned that evening, the power issue was resolved.
Side Note: The listing for this unit is very clear about no music or loud noises outside and nothing loud inside, and it even mentions being evicted if found to be making too much noise. Knowing this, we expected a quiet complex, and though it seemed to be during the day, at night, it was an arena of madness. On all nights, people played music on the decks while hanging out and having a good time. We weren't bothered by these folks, but there were couples arguing and a live soap opera unfolding in the courtyard between family members. Kids were involved too. It was pretty dramatic and on display because, as I mentioned, the units of this complex surround the courtyard, and each one has a deck overlooking the courtyard.
During the first 24 hours, I searched for a different accommodation on the island to relocate, but there were no reasonable options for us as a group or individually as hotels were sold out. So, we ended up staying in unit C63 and made the best of what we had, knowing that after our return, I would contact Airbnb and Catalina Vacations about our dissatisfaction.
So that's what I did the day after returning home from Catalina. I