I stayed at Travis’s place for nine days on a work trip. I’ve never left a negative review about an AirBnB, but I wish I’d chosen differently.
Overall, the space itself could be really nice. Huge windows, modern, nice bathroom, etc., but it just feels like a poorly-planned hotel room.
There are no hooks or coat rack by the door, which is just kind of annoying after a few days.
The bed was EXTREMELY lumpy, soft, and uncomfortable. I’m not a fussy sleeper or prone to back pain, but I woke up on my first morning in pretty serious discomfort. It’s just a mattress on the ground – no support from a box spring or slats. I ended up sleeping on the couch downstairs for the next week, so woke up at dawn every day with the sun in my eyes (as noted in other reviews there’s no blinds). There’s no bedside lamp or table, meaning if you want to read or anything before bed you have to crank up the fluorescent lights downstairs.
The check-in information focuses on not making noise, with ALL CAPS about silent hours. No “welcome to the place” etc. Then there’s a sign on the door with more all-caps and exclamation points about being expelled from the apartment if there are any noise complaints. The likely reason became obvious on my second to last day. I was stretching on the balcony after a run, listening to the news about the war in Ukraine (at a totally normal volume), when the neighbour angrily opened their door and glared at me without a word. I asked “would you like me to turn this down?” She responded by closing the door in my face. It’s not a good feeling to worry you’re disturbing neighbours by listening to a podcast at 10am.
My one interaction with Travis was after I unplugged what I thought was a Google Home because the TV turned on by itself a couple times while I was in Zoom conferences. I got a message while out for dinner that the device was the router and it had turned off the wi-fi in Trevor’s other AirBnb next door. When I explained why he simply said I should turn it back on ASAP and it’s not possible that the TV would turn on.
I would recommend a real bed, some floor lamps so guests aren’t under harsh fluorescents all the time, and reconsidering the way the host interacts with guests.