General comments:
Generally speaking, I would not recommend booking here. Gerald was quick to respond to messages, and polite in his presentation of amenities and in our interactions. Price was good, and the location was great. The entire apartment and the bedroom were very clean. The room may belong to the host, as the host slept in the living room sofa right outside the bedroom door; the room appears to contain personal belongings. Thanks, Gerald, for a simple and trouble-free stay.
Getting in and out was not the easiest:
The key & lock to the apartment door were tricky to use. If you don't adjust the key just right, it won't turn in the lock. Once I got the hang of it, it was fine, but still annoying as it is possible to get locked out if you don't practice using the lock (imagine coming home late at night). Access to the building itself was seamless. I recommend spending a few minutes practicing how to use the apartment door lock before going out. Not ideal. There are actually two locks. One of them is not to be used - it's not labeled as such, but that detail is in the rules document and you may be reminded to consult the rules if you get confused.
Issues:
Gerald was attentive and getting me what I needed, and he was polite, however, I feel compelled to say that if you do not follow the house rules to the "T", you will be reminded. Because I had read other reviews before booking, I knew it was important to read the rules, so I did that before even arriving. During my stay, the host corrected me as I did not follow the rules; to shut the door behind me after walking out of the bedroom toward the bathroom; to shut the bathroom door after exiting the bathroom and getting water (2ft away) from the kitchen sink; to turn off the bedroom light after exiting briefly and forgetting to hit the switch. After a few of these 'corrections' by the host, I felt that I was walking on eggshells for the duration of my visit. To put it another way, there is little in the way of 'bedside manner', or empathy for the fact that you are traveling and may be keeping track of a lot of logistics, the least of which should be memorizing a two-page single-spaced document of rules. Don't get me wrong, I read the rules carefully before and during my visit. I appreciate a set of rules. I am a rental property owner myself so I appreciate respect for another person's space, but we are not children and this is not kindergarten - which is the way I felt during my stay.
Although I did not encounter any actual conflict, I can absolutely see the host escalating a situation after a guest forgets a rule or doesn't understand a rule. The review by Phumelele (July 2021) resonated with me. I can also see how the situation by Xueyuan (November 2021) could have devolved into the situation they described. Read the host's adversarial tone in their responses to negative reviews -- this is a huge red flag. I read those reviews and the host's responses before booking, but I booked anyway due to limited time, price and location.
Conclusion:
Overall, my stay was pleasant, but I would not recommend booking. For my situation and for a person of my demeanor, it was good for one night. For a longer stay I would look elsewhere.