This stay was a complete miss, which is a shame because I was looking forward to it. While the home is located in a nice neighborhood, the unit sits next to a busy street with car noise at all hours of the day/night. It was so disruptive that during work calls, I would have to close the windows – the noise really needs to be advertised on the listing. The AC is controlled by the owner, and the unit was hot (~80 degrees) in the evening (a fan is provided, but the help is minimal). The kitchen shares a sliding door with the main house, there is a gap that looks in, so it doesn’t feel private. Sound carries very easily, I could hear many loud conversations/disagreements from the main house. The little yard is nice, however the furniture was covered in bird droppings – I had to purchase my own cleaning supplies (as none are provided) to wipe it down multiple times. The unit was dusty upon arrival (I assume because the windows were kept open), and had a musty/sulfuric odor that lingered. The door/gate to the yard is cumbersome to use as well. The house is undergoing renovations, and the water was shut off one morning without prior notification; I had to inquire about it.
The biggest disappointment was the host, who I found to be opportunistic. I needed to extend my stay by one day, and the app wasn’t functioning properly. Barry said I could leave a check, and then quickly suggested ‘bartering’ the night in exchange for work/casting opportunities once he learned the industry I work in. It was predatory, uncomfortable, and unprofessional. This is in addition to my arrival travel plans being changed – I had to arrive a few days later, and did not seek a refund or ask for an adjustment to my reservation, I just paid several additional nights as a gesture of good faith during the pandemic.
The host claims I stained his mattress pad and mattress with oil (which I did not), and that I also lost his keys (I didn’t receive a first set, and left the second key in the unit). I paid a rekey fee to make the headache go away. Barry was prompt/responsive until checkout: A package of mine was delivered after I left, and I had asked that it be left outside so I could have someone collect it but he has since been radio silent. If you do choose to book here, photograph/document everything. I should have trusted my instincts and left sooner. I am glad that I have had so many other positive experiences with other Airbnb hosts/properties – if this had been my first, I doubt I would have used the platform again.