DO NOT BOOK THIS APARTMENT WITHOUT READING THE REVIEWS FIRST.

Quick note: in my six years using Airbnb I’ve never written a negative review, nor have I ever had an experience like this one. We hope that this review it alerts future guests to a problem that has been cited on more than one occasion previously. We have learned our lesson and will DEFINITELY be reading reviews very thoroughly for all bookings in the future.
My primary concerns with the present listing:

- Immediately upon entering the property, we experienced a strong chemical smell. Perhaps this was some form of cleaning fluid/fragrance used to cover up a pre-existing problem (highlighted by other guests), maybe the vomit/urine referenced in an information sheet stuck to the back of the front door? Or previous smokers in the unit? Or a combination thereof?
- The odor was severe enough to cause headaches and coughing from the moment we arrived.
- We stayed one night, hoping we could “air out the apartment,” yet the odor disrupted sleep (my partner was up coughing all night), and remained intolerable after leaving the windows open throughout the night and into the next day.
- We asked for a refund based on the apartment being unlivable (as we saw it) in its current condition – to which the host replied, “we will need to investigate.”
- Upon the hosts “investigation” he deemed there to be no odor whatsoever. PLEASE READ PREVIOUS REVIEWS. There have been previous complaints about smell (see reviews by Marco, Kimara, Sam & Brie, Rachel, Paula, Stassia) and he’s denied the problem each time.
- The host offered to provide a “one-time courtesy” - asking us to pay the number of days from initial booking to the close of the investigation and offering to refund the remainder of the booking ONLY IF he could re-book the space. We had booked a long term stay for work (over $4,000) this left us thousands out-of-pocket for a stay that was uninhabitable, with a refund contingent upon the host re-booking.
- We are really grateful to Airbnb for refunding our booking cost for days we’d have ended up paying the host for time not spent in the property; at least a week, and possibly even the whole amount ($4,000+). Due to the nature of proving odor within an apartment being difficult, it’s very east for the host to refute any claim made. Be aware.
- SIDE NOTE: we noticed an air purifier in the apartment, which the host referred to as an “odor neutralizer” in responses to other complaints about smell. One would have to question why an odor neutralizer is necessary if the air is already clean and healthy? PLEASE ALSO NOTE – the model of air purifier used is called an ozone generator. Ozone is a toxic gas, and per the EPA, such “air purifiers” can have dangerous effects (read more here: https://tinyurl.com/4jvte58p)

Please, learn from our mistake, and book elsewhere.