Unfortunately, I did not have the best experience here. Most other reviews seem good, though, and I hope that guests after me will have a better experience.
Long story short - the mattress broke during my stay.
The springs popped out and poked through the mattress, and based on the tag, it turns out that this mattress was 16 years old. When I told Ahmed, he bought a mattress topper to try to remedy the situation. The topper ultimately didn’t fix much, given that the mattress itself was fully broken and I kept sinking into it. I’m normally not fussy about beds, but in this case, I strongly felt that the mattress itself needed to be replaced. I even offered a number of different suggestions and affordable/good mattress options.
To me, a bed in good condition is a must-have for any long-term stay accommodation and should not be an issue that I try so hard to resolve. I totally understand that minor issues can arise during an Airbnb stay, but the broken bed was a major issue and an important part of my long-term stay.
After about 10 days of back-and-forth discussion, delivery-related issues, and finally, involving Airbnb in the situation, I ended up leaving early and receiving a partial refund for the remaining nights. I tried to be as communicative as possible to Ahmed from the very start, but our communication became frustrating, so I ultimately contacted and involved Airbnb. Ahmed said he would replace the broken mattress eventually (either with a new queen-size mattress or a full-size mattress from Ahmed’s other listing), but I left before either happened, so I can’t confirm what actually ended up happening.
Moving on to other notable details about the apartment--
- The apartment is very spacious and has a lot of storage. There is a ton of space for clothes and a lot of hangers.
- The unit is on the old side even for San Francisco, but there was no issue with basic things, like water pressure in the shower.
- The location is extremely safe and convenient. There’s a Whole Foods nearby that I did all my grocery shopping at.
- The kitchen and the bathroom both do not have vents, so you have to open the windows for ventilation. There is no dishwasher and no in-sink disposal, if that's something you look out for.
- There is a lot of light, though no real view (the view is the building next door and windows of your neighbors). Very high ceilings and good curtains that block out the light sufficiently.
- The apartment can get very cold, but there is a space heater that I used every night.
- The Smart TV is a great extra amenity.