When asked to review the Airbnb the host requested a 5 star review in that this “isn’t the Hilton” or some other high end resort, but a 5 star review on “what it is” as an Airbnb. I have stayed at a couple of airbnbs and my family is very seasoned in world travel, so although I understand that an Airbnb is not a high end hotel, I will review it honestly in regard to what it offers, the price point compared to other places to stay in the area, and the overall experience. This review is in no way to disrespect or undermine the host or room of the Airbnb but share our personnel experience during our stay so that those who stay in the future, find this to be an Airbnb that fits their expectations, style, and travel needs/wants.
Pros:
-Location is close to town.
-Ocean view is spectacular with the sound of waves in the morning and late afternoon.***
-Full functioning kitchen with pots, pans, utensils. [please note for the next guest to take full look in cabinets and fridge/freezer of groceries, spices, cooking sprays/oil left behind by previous guests for future use]
-Free parking space near room
-Availability of laundry mat (coin/app operated if available if cleaning staff not using)
-bikes, boogie boards, ice chests, ect available for use
Cons:
-The room is and will be HOT and humid for 90% of your stay. So do not plan to be in the room between the hours of 10am-9pm at night unless taking sweat naps or you’re used to 90+ humid rooms with little breeze. Note there is a breeze in the morning but after that the sun shines straight in and heats up the room. So either the curtains are closed which blocks the breeze or the breeze comes in with full sun exposure.
•••We busied ourselves with activities throughout the day but on vacation it would have been nice to sleep in past 6am for once and not wake up every other hour sweating and uncomfortable.
When we notified the host of the heat she gave a response That seemed lackluster as if “well I already have your money”…”get over it” was the vibe which came across. Maybe she didn’t meant it that way but we did not feel cared for nor comforted at all that the temperature or comfort situation would improve.
***If you do manage to sleep past the AC being cut off at 6am get some ear plugs because the maintenance crew will begin yard work with leaf blowers and jack hammers at 0715am…around 10am is when the neighboring beach life guard begins to talk to swimmers on the megaphone but that’s not so bad.
-the bed is very firm (we like it that way but others my not), the pillows are flat as pancakes (we ended up buying more and left them so if they are there-you’re welcome), sheets were grey…not white which is the opposite of what is done in the hospitality industry.
-Bugs. We killed a GIANT roach the size of my hand the first night and notified the host who said “that’s an island thing”…I get that…but outside…not in the kitchen…nope. We live on the neighboring island and never have that issue. We killed three roaches during our stay and cleaned up diligently after ourselves after each cooked meal…and little ants are found in the kitchen at all times. There are roach/bug traps EVERYWHERE which is a big red flag.
-The lights are very dim so while energy saving it’s hard to see when the sun goes down or when curtains are drawn.
-The cleanliness lacked in the location. It was mostly clean such as clean sheets and towels, but cob webs and dust could be found on ceiling fans, ceiling corners, and near the end of bed and coach.
-This location is NOT disability friendly. We did not see any stair ramps and the shower lid came up to our knees where you have to take a giant step into the shower (1 person shower space only and the drain cover is not connected to the floor).
-While having things like bikes and boogie boards is nice it took up a lot of the living space which could have been used for our own personal gear and luggage to be stored.
-The price was per night was almost (and I mean a few dollars short) of that of the resort down the street so we thought it would be a similar COMFORTABLE experience, which it lacked.
-communication from the host was that of copy/paste text sent to every guest. When she did respond it was SEVERAL hours later (my sister lives in the same time zone and responded to me quicker than the host did…), the responses that were given were disconnected and uncaring with lots of emojis…
This review will not get a 5 star review due to the reasons listed, nor would I recommend this stay to my family or friends. If this location fits your needs then it’s for you. It wasn’t for us and was a learning experience to utilize our time, money, and space in smarter ways in the future. I only hope that she improves the room so that others may be more comfortable during their stay and feel cared for as they would at any other Airbnb or resort.