It has been a week since we returned from our trip from Los Angeles and wanted to take the time to write an accurate review of our experience with this listing.
My wife and I reserved/paid to stay at “Quite Place and a Cozy Apartment in Marina Del Rey” property 6/23 – 6/27. Although, as you notice, it no longer says Marina Del Rey b/c property owner/rep Marie recently changed the title, but if you scroll down as of today 7/3/2022, you can see it is still inaccurately listed as in Marina Del Rey (this probably will also change once this review is posted).
Marie, in private chat when inquiring about the property, shared with me that it was not in Marina Del Rey but in Venice. I asked if the area was safe and she wrote yes. Upon arriving in the afternoon, we went to the area and to our dismay were shocked by the location. This place was not only not accurately described but clearly did not look nor feel safe at all. In fact, just down the road, maybe a 2 minute walk from the entrance, there were several police officers investigating some kind of incident with several homeless people in the middle of the street and sidewalk. In front of the entrance there were very strange suspicious people walking around and two old creepy looking vans that seemed to be where a few people were living parked right across the street. As victims of armed robbery, my wife and I immediately panicked for our safety and contacted the property owners at once.
They were unable to accommodate us somewhere else and refused to refund my stay only to continuously reference their strict cancellation policy. Although, I kept telling the person that we did not feel safe, and that it was not as described, she just kept referencing the cancellation policy. She even had the audacity to offer to call the police on my behalf if something was to happen! This clearly communicated to me that this property owner was not concerned about safety perhaps only after an incident occurred.
Regarding the safety issue, Marie later responded via messenger that the place was indeed safe as it had a blue/green gate that was always closed and therefore no one could get in. I did not think that renting an apartment on a mini-vacation required prisoner type accommodations where you cannot walk outside the gate of the driveway without feeling a sense of danger.
We ended up having to find alternative lodging at a hotel in Hermosa Beach, but later returned at night as we wanted to confirm our gut feeling about the place. Indeed, the area was poorly lit with homeless people sleeping just outside, the ominous vans still parked across the street and the gate that is “always closed” was wide opened with no one in sight.
I am now trying to get my full refund back with a third party as Marie and this property owner would not cancel without a full refund; simply redirecting me back to their cancellation policy. They were unwilling/reluctant to mention the AirCover protection benefits, specific to guest safety (24-hour safety line), that is listed as free on this listing. I later found at about it when writing this review. Please note, there are two issues here: (1) Safety, not as a matter of “we have not had issues here” as Marie shared with me in the back and forth, but rather guests feeling safe when clear and present examples are being provided yet ignored; and (2) Accuracy of description of the area of this property. My wife and I do not deserve to become a statistic before this property owner and Airbnb are forced to react.
Any responsible owner needs to take personal safety of all guests as a serious matter and be proactive in finding a solution to a guest that reports safety concerns before something happens. Therefore, please be cautious and aware of the area of this property; it is not safe. You can easily see for yourself if you ask for the property address and look at the google street view of the area and you will see exactly what I am describing here.
If Marie and/or the property owners would have been fully transparent before booking, I would have not reserved this place and potentially put my family and I in a safety predicament.