I’ll start with the good…. The location of the apartment is beautiful and very convenient for going to north shore beaches and restaurants. The pool is nice, the beach is just outside, and the kitchen has utensils, appliances, etc.
However, the apartment itself is in desperate need of maintenance- the bedroom carpet is very dirty, doors and drawers are jammed (even ones tucked in the interior of the unit that wouldn’t be as affected by the elements), there’s a hole in the ceiling of the bathroom, and the sliding glass door to outside does not lock properly. The unit is old, as the owner states, but it would really benefit from some simple maintenance. I didn’t expect luxury based on the listing photos and description, but I was very disappointed upon first entering the unit.
The owner also states upon booking that “initial amenities” such as toilet paper, soap, etc are provided but the guest must provide beyond that. In my case, that meant 1.5 rolls of toilet paper, a previously used paper towel roll, dingy bath towels, no shampoo or other toiletries, and no soap dispensers in either bathroom. There was a half empty soap refill stored in the utility closet, but no dispensers to fill. Again, the host does disclose this in the listing, but it makes for a very unwelcoming experience.
The check in process also had some issues. The check in instructions stated that the keys were in a lock box with a specific name written on it, but upon arrival, there was no lock box with that name. The host did not answer my initial call to ask for clarification, so we had to try the code on all the lock boxes out front until we found the correct one with a different name written on it. However, the host did answer my second call to tell them that the name in the check in instructions was incorrect.
Overall, this unit was conveniently located but left me very disappointed for the price that was charged. I have never left a negative review before and feel bad to do this, but it feels necessary after my experience in this unit that I did not feel prepared for based on the generally positive previous reviews.