Overall, our stay went pretty well. There was a huge heat wave, so it was really nice to be able to jump in the pool (or soak in it all weekend!) whenever we needed to. It was also an added bonus that we could bring our dog!
However, for the amount of money we paid for our long vacation in San Diego, we were all quite disappointed. We definitely felt like we were charged way too much for what we got, even being a holiday weekend. (We stayed at another place for a little bit more than what we paid here, and got 5 bedrooms, several bathrooms, a huge kitchen, bottle of wine, and more.) If we are paying what we paid for several days, there really should be a welcome basket and folder with "things to do" and "nearby restaurants". I've stayed at many airbnbs, and I didn't spend nearly as much as I did on this one, and they ALL had welcome baskets.
There were some basic issues with the place that I think are important to note.
1. There were shelves in the kitchen area that were completely broken off the hinges. They weren't even on the track! Every time we would open it to get a coffee filter or silverware, we would have to hold it with two hands so it wouldn't fall completely off.
2. The door handle from outside into the living area came completely off the hinges. Every time I would push down, it would just come off completely! This is not only a safety concern, but also extremely annoying.
3. The internet was TERRIBLE. We couldn't even get through an entire episode without it freezing completely, and we never knew when, or if, it would come back on.
4. The pool, the main feature of this house (in my opinion), was extremely dirty, right from the beginning. There was essentially a layer of dirt on the bottom of the pool that would move if we brushed it, but there was also algae build-up from the pool not being maintained.
5. There were just a bunch of little things that seemed poorly kept up. For example, there was a hand towel in the bathroom that had been bleached. Just buy a new hand towel. And in one of the bedrooms, there were lamps on each of the nightstands, but one of them didn't reach the plug so it was just laying there. Why even have a lamp if it's not plugged in? Or buy an extension cord. Also, the curtains in both bedrooms were too long, so they were held up by safety pins. Just take it to the cleaners and have them sew it for you. It just seemed really sloppily put together.
6. We were left with 3 rolls of toilet paper for a 5 day stay. That clearly wouldn't be enough for 4 adults for that long, so we had to ask for more, plus more trash bags and paper towels. We shouldn't have to ask for those things though; there was plenty of storage space, and he should have just put extra in there just in case.
7. AFTER we booked this place, I got a message from Chris saying something like "there will be no refund if the pool is not functioning". This should be written BEFORE we book the place! I would have been VERY upset if the pool wasn't working.
8. It was VERY hot in the living room area. We asked Chris how to control the air, and he told us that he would turn it on and keep it cooler. However, it still was pretty warm in the living room area, enough where it was uncomfortable to socialize and whatnot. We ended up spending a lot of time in the bedrooms because it was a lot cooler (plus there were fans), but it just never got cool enough to be comfortable in the living room area.
Basically, if you're going to leave the place in its current condition, then the price needs to be lowered. If you want to keep it at the same price, then make some changes. Make these necessary upgrades and repairs.
Chris stated on many occasions that it was a super quiet neighborhood and that we needed to be really quiet, but it was NOT a quiet neighborhood. There was construction on EVERY SINGLE STREET nearby, and construction was going on almost the entire day. Obviously, this is not Chris's fault, but he KNEW that there was construction going on, and to still be so insistent that we stay quiet was kind of silly.
Also, on the Sunday evening when we were sitting by the pool relaxing, at around 6pm, a neighbor began trimming the hedges with a loud tool. Again, not that big of a deal, but because he was so strict about us being quiet for his neighbors, and then his neighbors being the ones making a lot of noise, was frustrating. There were also several loud dogs barking in neighboring yards.
Obviously not a requirement, but it wouldn't have cost that much more to have a Keurig available. There was a tiny little coffee maker that barely made a cup and a half of coffee. Again, if you're charging that much for this place, spend $80 and get a Keurig.
Chris was super nice through texts and messages, and although I didn't get to meet him in person, my parents did and they also said he was very nice.
But again, it just seemed like we paid WAY too much for what we got.