WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT STAY HERE IF YOU VALUE YOUR HEALTH!!
THE GOOD: the AC was cold and it is close to downtown. Pretty sure a hostel would have both attributes and be cheaper! Save your money and stay there if they are your only options.
THE BAD:
1. Neighborhood was sketchy at best.
2. Upon arriving the green space that was supposed to be so perfect for our furry friend, and where we had to walk to get to the fire pit, was completely overgrown to the tune of 18-24 inches. Not something I wanted my dog running through nor was I comfortable doing so.
3. While not the fault of the host, the neighbor adjacent had a large German Shepherd that barked aggressively from the moment we arrived until we left (more on that in this review.)
4 Upon entering, noticed the couch was covered in faux fur throws. Upon moving them (didn't look too sanitary) I quickly discovered why.... the couch was ratty at best. Not what I'd expect at this price point.
5. Immediately noticed a moldy/mildew smell in the whole house. More on this...
6. Upon entering the kitchen ( which looks nice but is poorly stocked including a dorm sized coffee maker) I started hearing incessant barking of a small dog inside, to join that of the one outside... discovered a locked door outside the kitchen which seemingly goes to another side of the "house." Someone was clearly renting or living there and left their yapper alone... as it didn't stop barking the ENTIRE time we were there... which ended up being less than three hours (KEEP READING!) why is this listed as a house if
It is really a duplex? I rent a house to have my privacy. Sharing an adjacent entire back wall with paper thin walls and doors is NOT what I signed up for. Really unethical to list as a house when you have zero privacy.
7. The carpet in the back bedroom was stained and absolutely gross.
8. The hammock on the deck was complete unusable and broken.
9. The promised BBQ grill (which is our primary mode of cooking) was completely rusted through and non functional.
At this time, we decided none of this was satisfactory and decided to contact the host... Who, by the way, had not contacted me once in the ten days between booking and arrival, despite my customary outreach to introduce ourselves to our host(s.) While waiting for a response, my boyfriend decided to investigate the smell in the house because I started sneezing and my ears and nose started getting stuffy. I have mold allergies... A few minutes later he sends me a video from under the house which shows the dirt floor basement completely flooded by several inches of standing, dank, smelly water! He didn't stick around except long enough to video but the smell of mold and mildew was overpowering. At that point, we realized this home was a health hazard to anyone staying there and certainly to me. We still had not heard a word from the host so we outreached to Airbnb. In the interim, we had to repack everything unpacked and repack the car while desperately seeking a hotel that would also accept our dog at 930 at night! Then we had to look for an alternate Airbnb for our vacation. Nightmare. I spent the first two days of our vacation unpacking at three locations in less than 24 hours and back and forth with Airbnb demanding a refund for this disgusting and unfit home. If you would like a similar experience, feel free to book. Honestly, this home should never ever be rented to another soul. Airbnb clearly agreed that this was a bad situation as they reimbursed me and gave me several hundred dollars as compensation.... yet still refuses to delist this health hazard unless they get further negative reviews! Laughable! Meanwhile, I still have heard nothing from the host! I have traveled to 40 countries including some that were still very touched by the Soviet occupation... meaning accommodations were sparse and nothing short of uncomfortable. Yet I never complained anywhere I have traveled. This was singularly the worst experience in my decades of world travel, which says a lot. Literally book ANYWHERE BUT HERE. Read ALL the reviews and do not ignore the negative ones. Since I left, I went back and read them with a more critical eye and you'll see many others who've complained about some of these same issues. The mold/mildew smell goes back AT LEAST a year... so this is a long standing issue. Good luck if
you fail to heed this review. Many, many renters have complained about the lack of communication and contact with this owner. At least one had contact but the owner stopped responding as soon as he made complaints. Others have also left this property early. If you have issues, enjoy spending lots of time working with Airbnb to rectify them and screwing up your vacation. And make sure you take pictures and videos of EVERYTHING. Apparently Airbnb is t in the business of protecting us, the renters, since you can clearly see many issues reported and they still have the woman listed as a SUPER HOST. Clearly there is no review process for people once they attain such a status. Anyway, for those of you that are used to frat house accommodations at exorbitant prices, book now! 🤬