I have stayed at dozens of Airbnbs in many countries across three continents, and we've always been positively received and had little to no issues. I have never had to leave a bad review. Unfortunately I feel I have no alternative when reviewing Paul’s house as I feel I have a responsibility to warn other guests.
Communication was abysmal. Paul often took days to reply, and when he did, it was with unnecessary and unprovoked aggression or confusing and unhelpful answers to basic questions. Sometimes he simply didn't address my questions at all. He sent me messages that could only be perceived as hostile (capital letters etc.) and dealing with him caused me a great deal of distress and anxiety. He was also very unreliable (asking us to wait for him on several occasions and not turning up, or advising us he wasn’t coming, without apologising).
He arrived at the house unannounced. He entered without asking to “collect something he had forgotten”, walking straight into the house we were then living in.
We planned to have two extra guests staying on our couch for two nights of our visit, and we gave Paul plenty (months) of notice of this. The additional cost was about $100, but Paul repeatedly tried to charge us around $2000 extra. We gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed this was a mistake, and referenced the price listed on his page, which was only responded to with another request for $2000. When I told him that I wouldn’t pay this exorbitant amount, he became very angry and irrational, and continued to suggest he would come to the house to collect the money.
The listing was inaccurate. He provided one house key for a listing that supposedly sleeps ten people (it really only sleeps eight maximum). Paul said upon checkin that he would cut us another key, but he never did. Two days before we were to arrive Paul told us that the house actually sleeps less people than he’d advertised (and we’d paid for).
In regards to the house: The fridge door doesn’t close properly, resulting in our food going off prematurely and us having to throw it out. The sink leaks and in the cupboard underneath there is a stagnant pool of water and parts of the house were very dusty. Paul did provide many toiletries and a bottle of wine, which was nice.
The house itself wasn't too bad, and it wasn’t even the issue. We can deal with a slightly dirty/dysfunctional house. It was our interaction with Paul that really ruined our holiday in New Orleans. We don't have very high standards but we do expect to be treated with decency. It was appalling. I definitely don’t recommend this listing. Save yourself the headache.