We were excited to call this place our home for the month, but we were unpleasantly surprised by the series of issues we experienced throughout our stay related to maintenance and cleanliness. What made it extremely disappointing, however, was the unprofessional and dismissive attitude Martin (host) displayed when responding to our concerns which ultimately required Airbnb mediation.
Examples of maintenance issues we experienced:
-The balcony and bedroom doors not sealing properly which resulted in the doors banging all night whenever it was windy
-Door handles and hanger racks falling off the walls because they weren't screwed on properly-Dishwasher unit falling outward whenever it's open
-Multiple TV remotes with leaking batteries
-Lacked basic amenities such as hand soap
Examples of cleanliness issues we experienced:
-Food droppings in the kitchen
-Mold inside the ice maker/water dispenser machine
When we raised the issue of the rattling doors, the host's response of "everyone is in the same boat" (though he resides in New Zealand) and he "doesn't have any control over the wind" surprised us. The host also falsely claimed that we demanded "organic soap" and the food droppings had to have been left by us. I suppose the host will likely make the claim that the mold in the water dispenser was also left by us, but it's clear that this space lacked the basic care and attention it needed.
As someone who is a huge proponent of Airbnb and has used the service for the past 10 years as a guest and Superhost, I respect each home I stay in as if they're my own. I understand that Airbnbs are not professional hotels and flexibility and communication between guests and hosts are key when unexpected issues arise. However living in a space for 30 days and with the listing advertised as "luxury" and recently renovated, I was surprised by the lack of care that was put into getting the listing ready and the lack of empathy Martin displayed which made it near impossible to feel comfortable and find an amicable resolution during our stay.