The AirBnB review.
First off, I would like to say thank you for the hosts. The basic standard of the AirBnB concept was accomplished. We had somewhere to stay on short notice. We had another host cancel on us at the last minute and we have/had a party of 9. It is a struggle to get 9 people to move in any direction straight. It is like herding cats. But I digress. Anyway, when I saw this listing, I thought it was a great opportunity. TWO Houses, right next to each other???? How lucky is that? So, I want to thank the host for providing a service at the basic level.
Below is my and my team’s honest feedback about the listing. Thank you for your time in reading this. This will be detailed.
Neighborhood and Exterior.
When you pull up on the street, the neighborhood is medium sketchy. There is random bits of trash in the street. There’s not enough street parking directly in front of the houses. I’m with 9 people and we had 3 cars. We were able to use driveway at the 3240 house. They do have access to a backyard driveway but that would be cumbersome if you have multiple cars and people who like to get in and out to visit places. The houses are located literally one block away from the 580 freeway. This is a thoroughfare to get places in the East Bay area in Oakland. With the windows open, you can hear the freeway clearly. This may be a turnoff to light sleepers.
The 3240 house has a couple couches outside. They give you the “I bought these couches from a used furniture store” vibe. The arms on the big couch has some rips in it and they are just there. The smart locks on the doors are convenient for in and out access.
Common things to look out for in both houses (Positive)
1.	Outside shoes mandate. The floors in the both houses look newly redone. I can honor that they would like to extend the life of the floors by not wanting outside shoes traipsing throughout the house.
2.	Nice appliances. Both houses have nice Washers and Dryers. Def convenient to wash all your clothes and have clean fresh clothes to go home with.
3.	The listing has 8 bedrooms. If you have a large party, this would be a listing to consider.
4.	Both houses have walk-in showers. Perfect for short term rentals. I don’t know who is taking baths en-masse these days.
Common things to look out for in both houses (Negative)
1.	Cleaning. Coffee pot at 3246 had mold in it. Coffee pot in 3240 had used grounds in it The host was gracious and apologetic about the circumstance but that needs to be said out loud.
2.	Fridge in 3240 had some broken shelves that were repaired with tape. Also, the ice maker is broken.
3.	Fridge in 3246 has smudges all over. It looks like no one cleaned the exterior.
4.	Dishwasher in 3240 only used to store clean dishes. This tells me that I can’t use the dishwasher, but I can store dishes. The dishwasher looks new and I don’t want to wash dishes on vacation.
5.	Entertainment. In the 3246 house, the TV isn’t a smart TV. As I understand that hosts aren’t paying for cable these days, since most listings have internet/Wifi, a SmartTV or a streaming device on the TV will provide guests the ability to stream their entertainment on their terms. The TV in 3240 is a SmartTV but it took me 3-4 times to reset the network settings in order for it to connect to the hosts WIFI network.
6.	Flimsy and mismatched Furniture. The “sofa” in the 3246 loft area isn’t a sofa at all. It looks like a Futon with a very hard wooden base. It is even uncomfortable to sit on. Most of the beds frames are very light and they move around and squeak if you are a difficult sleeper. Most bedrooms lack nightstand and places to place your personal belongings. I had to put my wallet either on the table in the dining room or the windowsill. I understand that AirBnBs don’t need to have hotel styled/priced furniture, but the furniture in the houses don’t give a uniform feel to it. I truly feel like the hosts said “we need furniture for people to use and let’s go cheap and grab some things.”
7.	Pee Pads as mats. When me and my team first saw these, we were disgusted. The host indicated that they don’t use reusable towels for feet because of COVID. We have been dealing with COVID for 18+ months. Most scientific evidence is pointing to airborne transmission of the virus. I truly believe for the price point of this listing; the hosts could go get some cheap Dollar Store mats and either wash them or heck swap them out after each hosting. The Pee Pads were an absolute turnoff to me and my team.
8.	The houses do not have central air. This is an issue for me, coming from Texas. I like to control the temperature of a home. Thankfully, this wasn’t an issue here. The nights were cool and comfortable to sleep in. The days were not hot but comfortable. Just listing it for visibility purposes.
In Closing.
This listing has so much potential. It is 2 houses, right next to each other. That flex in that itself is a plus. A guest could have one house all the loud people and a house with a smaller, quieter crowd. But the amenities in the house must be improved. Given the price point and the entire experience we’ve have had in the listing, I would not stay here again unless changes are made.