I hope that my experience was just an exception but the disappointment started before the visit.
On the positive side: Kauhale Makai was easy to find and it was easy to get ahold of someone very quickly to answer questions about parking. Check-in was very convenient and there were no issues accessing the unit. The grounds were very well kept and the grounds keepers were hard at work everyday to keep the complex well maintained. Even though it was a first floor unit next to the street it was very quiet. The property manager had someone come the first day to address the mattress pad issue and offered a $99.20 refund for the inconveniences.
On the disappointing side: The penthouse condo that was reserved somehow became unavailable. I was offered a very dark and unappealing replacement and had to spend time doing my own search to request the 3rd unit that my cousin and I stayed in.
Shortly after arriving my cousin found popped popcorn on the kitchen counter. When going to sleep the first night I found hair all over the bedding. After stripping the bed I found the mattress pad tattered and soiled and had to change the linens myself.
In addition, the cook top was greasy and the kitchen and bathroom surfaces were dusty. There were also dusty spider webs up under the blinds when we rolled them up.
Because of this, it is very frustrating that a $300 cleaning fee was charged. Although the Airbnb “service ambassadors” originally said they would refund the cleaning fee they have since refused to honor their original offer. Please note that this was Airbnb and not the property manager.
The communication for this platform is frustrating because the customer service complaints are handled by Airbnb and the host in separate silos. This is my first time reserving a unit managed by a company vs. the property owner which may be what causes the added complexity.
I have probably spent hours by now getting the runaround on the Airbnb platform both during and after my vacation.
Overall, this has been a very dissatisfying experience. Lesson learned - A hotel or an Airbnb reservation with a host connected to the property vs. a property manager less invested in the property would have been a better option.