I hesitated from writing a review because I didn’t want to relive my experience. It was frightening to be there. I spent 17 days there. For the first 7 I would spend 30-90 minutes responding to threatening, hysterical texts from the host that included threats to send the police if I didn’t pay a $36 charge for extra guests and a $1000 deposit.
* The host tried to bully me into giving a $1000 deposit after the reservation had started
* There is a rat infestation and active rats in the palm tree next to the front door
* “House Rules” are dozens of pages, and hidden in them it says the host can cancel at any and keep the entire reservation. ($3200)
* Host tries to get you off the AirBnB platform
While I have never had a negative interaction with the SDPD, as a person of color I know what it means when a white woman is angry and threatens to invite the police to a situation. It is a threat of violence that I did not deserve.
We made a reservation for 3 people for 17 days and told the host we would have 2 additional joining us for at least 7 days. She said to tell her when we knew exactly so they could adjust the cost of the reservation, $32 ($36 with fees) per night per person. When my friends arrived a few days into the reservation at 10:30pm on Friday, by 11pm I had angry text messages and AirBnB messages from her.
She demanded $1036, then over $1500, then changed the number again, refusing to itemize. After 7 days of trying to get her to itemize the charges and talk to me through AirBnB, I called her when said she would send the police to evict us.
She tried to argue that even though our AirBnB reservation was for 3 people, because only 2 were present at check-in the 3rd would be charged as an additional guest. That is the type of problems I had to deal with, under threat of violence from the police. Eventually we settled back on $36 per person per night for 7 nights (2x7=14, 14x36=$504), which was what I was originally trying to pay her for the extra guests.
It ruined my first week of the trip. I’m still shaking when I think about it.
There was also dozens of rat droppings on the patio furniture - must have taken weeks without cleaning. At some point a poisoned rat fell out the palm tree while we were barbecuing and shared its last breaths laying on the lawn chair looking at us, unable to run away. (I have lots of pictures)
Aside from those major issues, the dish washer doesn’t seem to work, the dryer is unreasonably loud, and there are passive aggressive notes in every corner of the house (“bare feet required :)” “if there are any problems with the plumbing the guests will be held responsible” “no food in the garbage disposal” “use coasters [kitchen counter] is marble”, phone numbers written in sharpe on decorations and cups).
The imitation iRobot hadn’t been emptied in a while and there was sand all over the common areas.