I was surprised when I walked into this Stylish Beacon Hill Flat, and unfortunately a little disappointed. Based on the photos, description, and reviews, I was expecting a beautifully renovated home. The description highlights "penthouse", "luxury", and "professionally designed". What it also emphasized was the location, which is 100% accurate! I was over the moon about the neighborhood and was so grateful to be right in the heart of Beacon Hill. The location is worth the price, which is why I think an accurate review would not have changed my mind but would have saved me from my initial disappointment. Here's what caught me off guard...
There is a bit of a musty smell in the front hall and the living room, not terrible but prominent enough to bother someone sensitive. The house is decorated to look good in a photo but not up close: wires everywhere, cheap shelves, peeling veneer on the table, missing outlet cover on the one usable kitchen outlet, windows that don't fully shut or lock, 4,000 layers of paint on original trim, and cheap locks on the doors. The kitchen has the basics and was clean, with the exception of the dishwasher, but is nothing to write home about. The dishwasher was installed where it cannot be opened because it hits the wall about 20" back, requiring you to maneuver dishes into the rack that can't be pulled out even an inch. That would have just been funny if it wasn't also moldy with a rank smell. Also, one of the cabinet latches is broken so you can't open it. The outside seating area is damp with mold on most surfaces rendering it pretty uninviting. Moving upstairs, the walls are scuffed, the closets have funky old carpeting, and the bathroom tile was bulging off the wall. It seemed like faulty installation or leaks have damaged the walls and the tile is noticeably loose in a few areas of the bathroom. Also odd, was that the blinds don't close fully in the bathroom leaving a several inch gap at a very awkward height while using the toilet.
Lastly, parking. Oy vey! I drove into town knowing I would need to park in a garage nearby, which Tate provided info for. Turns out my dainty little Subaru with a Yakima box was too tall for ALL four garages in the area. The open air garage isn't open 24 hrs so I couldn't park it there either. I ended up finding the Onyx Hotel and they were happy to valet it for my stay but there were no in/out privileges and it was $50/day. Moral of the story is don't drive into town!
I think this quaint little apartment has some funkiness and charm and doesn't need to be advertised like it's a 5 star hotel. It's not and that's fine. It's worth a stay if you are looking for the excellent location!