Where to begin? I'll start by saying the host did respond within one hour for my concerns and were quick to send assistance. Also, the overall look of the mansion with the exposed brick, hardwood floors and chandeliers added a nice touch to the Nola atmosphere.
However, that is about the only positives I have about this place.
Issues...
- The description of the staircase needs some adjusting. They felt weak and unsteady. A disclaimer needs to be added that there is two flights to climb. This is not ideal for those w/ knee or back issues while trying to carry their luggage to the room.
- Upon arrival we noticed the pictures from the listing did not entirely match what was reality. There are holes and stains in the wall, ceiling and faucet in the bathroom.
-The coffee pot had a rather large layer of dust on top and a used mask was found under the bed indicating this room was not cleaned even though the description states there are covid protocols about cleaning and sanitizing.
-The ac unit in the bedroom (located above one of the beds) starting leaking immediately and ended up running down the wall, floor and onto the bed.
-There were dead cockroaches under the sink.
-The mini fridge wasn't cooling properly and leaked at the bottom.
-A window in the kitchen was open and would not shut.
Another disclaimer about the balcony leaning forward also needs to be added. It is a VERY noticeable slant. So much so, if you attempt to step on it with socks, prepare to fall. It also did not feel safe.
-There is one small lock on the door that leads to the balcony and while the listing stated it was shared, be weary of the neighbors having fairly easy access to your room if not kept locked at ALL times.
-There was a leak under the bathroom sink that wasn't noticed till departure as the towels that were stored there, ended up soaking most of it up.
-There was an extreme amount of rust around the hot side of the bathroom faucet and the water constantly leaked even with the knobs turned completely off.
-To get into the shower/tub you had to take a rather high step and there was nothing slip resistant to help. Again, not ideal for those w/ knee, hip or back problems.
-The BIGGEST issue was the amount of dark and black mold that covered half of the ceiling in the bathroom and on the shower curtains. If the bathroom door was left shut, the pungent smell would take your breath.
Resolution?...
I contacted the host on day one (Monday Aug 2nd) and explained most of the above issues (some weren't found until later in the stay). There was a quick response and a maintenance worker came out. His solution was for the host to get a bigger fridge (no work done) and that the ac unit had been "blown out" previously by a contractor but that he would pass along the information (no work done). He did end up fixing the window in the kitchen. The following day (Tuesday Aug 3rd) no contact was made to the host as we were waiting for housekeeping and maintenance to stop by or contact us regarding the other issues. After returning from enjoying some of the things Nola had to offer, we noticed that the issues were still not resolved and the ac unit was now puddling water beside the bed. I contacted the host (Wednesday Aug 4th) and was told that the host, maintenance and housekeeping had stopped by (Tuesday) to "re-do" the issues. No one stopped by. When I asked the host for the approximate time, I was then told that the host didn't stop by and they were only relaying the message. Another maintenance worker was asked to come to the room. He attempted to work on the ac unit and ended up laying towels down to deter the puddle and was going to reach out to a contractor. The same resolution for the mini fridge. Towels were laid down to prevent damage to the hardwood floors but no fix to the issue. The first maintenance worker did not view the bathroom mold situation but the second did. He stated that the room should not have been rented in that condition. Still no resolution about the molded ceilings or molded shower curtains. Our checkout was the following day (Thursday Aug 5th).
Follow-up..
You can imagine my frustration as we drove 16 hours and was left with no time to find/book another room since our stay was rather short. We had hoped the issues could be resolved fairly quickly and when they weren't, I asked the host for a refund. I stated that the room was not sanitized and cleaned properly (especially during a pandemic) and the mold posed a great threat to our health (one of my companions ended up getting sick from the mold). I was told to contact Airbnb as the transaction of money was already made. The host was pretty quick at responding and did send maintenance (not housekeeping) when I alerted them of the issues. But, when you get a complaint AND pictures of the mold and leaking and you offer no further resolution or compensation, that is bad business. I will NOT be staying here again nor would I recommend this place to anyone. These issues need to be fixed for any future guest as black mold is extremely dangerous!
*I have contacted Airbnb with photos during our stay and the messages between the host and I. I've also asked they reach out to the host to remedy the mold situations before someone gets really sick or contacts the health department*