Needs improvement but would definitely stay again. Main issue for my group was cleanliness. Minor suggestion is amenities.
Cleanliness and Communication:
Reported to Jonathan the owner that we found multiple surface cleaning issues. No clutter, well organized supplies, clean linens. But visibly dirty showers and floors. Jonathan responded literally immediately by phone call, and said he was disappointed to hear this and is having regular Zoom meetings with his cleaning service to discuss some ongoing areas for improvement. A host can’t know what isn’t reported to them, and so maybe it’s time for his company to hire a new cleaning service. He was very receptive to feedback, issued a partial refund, and I felt that he was a direct communicator with good accountability. Some hosts can get passive aggressive about stuff like this but not Jonathan. He lives locally which is also a plus for guests who want to contribute to the local economy by staying here.
Amenities:
I’d like to suggest luggage racks or bigger bedside tables. Kitchen amenities however were top notch.
General info:
- Location is great. I used to live in this zip code and the area is just delightful and so accessible. Note that this unit is on the 4th floor in an old building with beautiful tall ceilings, so LOTS of stairs and the structure is not engineered for an elevator. Not a dealbreaker for us but FYI if you have mobility challenges.
- It’s quiet despite being on Clark st. We saw other guests going by on the stairs often but never heard them through the walls or floors
- Good temperature control
- Nice little back porch
- Spacious and not cramped at all
- The 2 bedrooms are on opposite ends of the unit for privacy
ALSO the current copy of the house rules says pet friendly with a fee but this is no longer the case (except trained service animals). They need to update the client-facing policy language. Matthew (the manager) said too many guests complained of pet hair but now I’m thinking this was more the fault of the cleaning service (see above) than of the pets.
tl;dr:
Use the Clorox wipes that are supplied under the kitchen sink, host is super open to feedback, and place is almost perfect but will be with time and continued feedback! You should definitely visit my hometown of Chicago and give this beautiful, excellently located place a chance!