I usually don’t take time out of my day to write a review, however, this AirBNB was very “unique” to say.
First, I would like to say that I do not recommend this particular AirBNB to anyone. The pictures are amazing and the price is even better, but there are many downsides.
We messaged our host ahead of time that we would be arriving at a certain time. However, we were ignored and our calls were going to voicemail. The host was intentionally declining our calls and kept repeating that our “check in specialist” will be here shortly. The host is part of a bigger company that owns the entire building, renting out each room to tourists on AirBNB.
If you have never visited San Diego before, Gaslamp Quarter is home to busy streets and terrible parking. Parking was a big issue, the nearby parking garage was very tight and hard to find spots. Street parking was also always full. It took us at least an hour to find parking every night.
The apartment itself was spacious. However, many things were broken in the apartment. For example, TVs never worked, lights never turned on, etc. THE BATHROOM DOOR DOES NOT HAVE A LOCK AND OUR “CHECK IN SPECIALIST” DID NOT KNOW UNTIL WE POINTED IT OUT. The lack of knowledge from the check in specialist was concerning and discomforting. There are not many lights in the home itself and it is quite dark. The environment is VERY loud especially at night. If you are in the room right next to the window, I can guarantee a night of loud noises and yelling.
The rooms are also not fully separated with short, thin walls. You get virtually no privacy from the other rooms. The outlets are also very slow and seem to have no strong power.
The biggest issue was the AMOUNT OF BUGS that were present in the apartment. Flies would come out of sinks and we would constantly kill fruit flies, normal flies, and mosquitoes. We ended our trip with atrocious amounts of mosquito bites all over our bodies.
The kitchen sink also ONLY had hot water and we were unable to do the dishes without burning our hands. We tried to contact the host and check in specialist when it happened, however, my concerns were ignored.
You also don’t get extra toilet paper so make sure to buy a pack if you are planning on visiting.
On the bright side, it gave us enough shelter for the trip. Expect to pay $30-$40 a night for overnight parking. In addition, the lobby going into your room is hot and full of flies everywhere.
There are many downsides to this stay that are not detailed in the description. All in all, it was enough housing for my family and I to enjoy our trip.