Jane’s attic apartment in a Queen Anne Victorian is nicely appointed, in a beautiful part of San Francisco. Although there is no stovetop and the refrigerator is rather small, I nevertheless found it to be a charming place, with eclectic books in real bookshelves, multiple skylights and more.
My daughter and I stayed there after traveling from New York to aid my ailing father, who lives nearby.
Jane initially seemed to be a warm and friendly host, expressing sympathy for our family’s plight. Unfortunately, after an otherwise pleasant stay, she sent me a double-barreled text message, detailing numerous complaints about the way we left things.
Yes, we accidentally left frozen vegetables in the freezer. I did not immediately recognize that there was a separate compost pile. And yes, there was even a spoon left in a bag of defrosted berries.
But we left the place clean, including, upon our departure, stripping the bedsheets and moving the trash baskets out from under the kitchen sink for easier access. The infractions were minor and unintentional and were dealt a harsh judgment that made a tough family week even tougher.
My reviews from hosts on AirBNB over several years have been, to the best of my knowledge, almost uniformly positive. I go out of my way to be a considerate guest.
It’s still a very nice place and may well be worth the visit, and I do not think this incident reflects Jane at her best. Your experience may well be better.