I guess it had to happen eventually. I've been using Airbnb for seven years and have never had to write a bad review. In this case I feel the need to say something in hopes that it will help others avoid what I went through.
Upon first entering the unit the first thing I noticed is that the carpets and furniture are filthy with stains everywhere. Next I tried to turn on the AC and noticed that I could only find one in the bedroom. After some more looking around I found that the shower curtain was coated in mildew. After reporting these issues to the host, I was told that there is only AC in the bedroom and that I should open the windows to cool the place off. To top it off, the host said they had not used the AC in 2 years (which basically means they didn’t even know if the AC worked at all). A fan and a new shower curtain were dropped off. I appreciated the gesture, but I don’t think anyone would consider a fan as a replacement for AC. I reported these issues to AirBnB who tried to negotiate a partial refund from the host, but they were not willing to do so.
Later that day I tried to get ready to sleep and noticed that the bed was extremely firm. I actually like a firm bed, but this one was so firm that I actually woke up sore from it. I also discovered that the AC unit makes a terrible rattling noise (probably because it’s partially broken inside). In the morning I noticed that the curtains in the bedroom provided no light blocking at all, which means that you can’t sleep much past sunrise without an eyemask.
After further discussions with AirBnB support, I was able to get a minor amount back from them. It was nothing close to what I would have considered fair for these issues, but at least they recognized that this is not the type of experience they want for their customers. If I had it to do over again, I would just leave right away and demand a refund.
The bad:
* AC only in bedroom - not strong enough to reach rest of place, loud/noisy - misleading to say the place has AC if it’s only in one room. Opening windows means 80+ degrees and 80% humidity inside, also more bugs (No screens on windows)
* Carpets badly stained and dirty, way past their useful life
* Bathroom mildew
* Stains on couch
* Bed is rock hard
* Only one key fob provided which is needed to enter the building and operate the elevators. (You also must register with the building management to activate this, which was not disclosed by the host)
* Part of the building is operated as a hotel, so there is higher traffic and turnover in the building due to that
* Building is from the 70s with clear signs of wear, bugs, bad plumbing, smells
* Curtains in bedroom not dark at all
* Internet not sufficient for remote work/video conferencing
* Doorbell button does nothing
* Inaccurate pictures - e.g. there is no dresser or TV in the bedroom, stains on carpet/furniture probably photoshopped or camera angles carefully chosen
The good:
* High floor corner unit
* Balcony with partial ocean view
* View of mountains from living room
* Building amenities are as advertised
* Good location
Who’s it for:
* Man traveling alone
* Doesn’t plan to have guests over
* Plans to be out during the day so the heat is not an issue
* Doesn’t need to work from home
* Can’t find anything better