The good:
The host is pretty upfront with some of the constraints you may find, such as the kids and the house rules. We arrived a little ahead of schedule and Amy allowed us to check-in a half hour early.
Having off-street parking was convenient to secure our belongings.
The not-so-good:
The communication with the host was a little spotty. Immediate response is not necessary or expected, but within a few hours is reasonable.
I texted multiple times before receiving a response.
The unacceptable:
The photos in the listing are outdated. The space was not very clean, did not look to have been vacuumed (we noticed several pieces of debris on the carpet). Upon initial entry, a musty odor was apparent. If we had mold allergies, we would not feel comfortable staying here. There are a number of general maintenance issues that have not been addressed.
1. Window covered by flat cardboard box. Not sure if the window is damaged? Why the covering?
2. Cluster of small appliances and dishes laying out in drying rack.
3. Wall light fixture broken in bathroom, supplemented with standing lamp.
4. Toilet took 25 minutes to fill. 4:38-5:03pm.
I understand last-minute issues arise and things need to get fixed, but to have such an improbable amount of bad luck within 24hrs seems unlikely. None of these things alone is worth a complaint. However, taken together indicates a lack of responsibility on the part of the host.
General safety concerns:
1. Small appliance overlapping sink basin. It's considerate to have a microwave, but as a general rule, it seems to be a safety hazard to have an electronic device that close to a water source.
2. Standing lamp in bathroom. Again, not sure it's illegal or anything, but it's very close to a water source and makes for awkward navigation in the bathroom.
3. Hot plate. Considerate. But where could I safely, reasonably use this item in this unit?
We weren't looking for a memorable, tell-the-grandkids-someday experience when renting a spare basement room in Washington DC for the night, but there is a baseline expectation of cleanliness, professionalism, and order.
We have stayed at several Airbnbs and I credit the hosts with taking an honest interest in maintaining their property and ensuring a good experience of their guests. They keep the bar very high, and my expectations are usually exceeded without much effort.