During my stay in Anj’s townhome, it was how you say “interesting”. Upon arriving at the home, it was just as described, a very beautiful and aesthetically pleasing home. Along with their other homes they own that are all connected together.
I spoke with the owner prior to booking the home letting them know about myself and the stay, etc, etc (the normal thing to do and Airbnb even asks you to do so). They were on time with the replies but I soon found out that may have been just the cordial thing to do for someone planning to book. Because later on during my actual stay I would be left on read most time for hours after messaging about the workings of their home. This was my first time booking an Airbnb and it is nothing like a hotel at all. It’s definitely someone else’s “home away from home” and without a manual or correct information on how to work the home i found it hard to maneuver and being left on read and getting a response later on after I figured it out was not as helpful as an owner could have been. Although they would eventually answer the messages they would be off putting and somewhat rude. As I will most certainly show in these next few sentences. (I will be copying and pasting actual replies.
The first encounter of the off-putting messages was when I was trying to turn on the volume to their tv. They replied and said “it should be the remote”; what a logical response, right? Wrong, because obviously it’s the remote. I messaged them back saying “I’m using both remotes but it’s not working yet”, No response. Messaged them again letting them know “Thanks, I figured it out!”, No response! In actuality I had to go into the settings of their tv and switch it from an “off mode” to “on”.
At one point I just assumed I was annoying them and I no longer wanted to ask them anything and rather just figure it out myself. Imagine a guest feeling as if they are a pest in your own home. Trust me it is not a good feeling at all!
Also during my stay I was having a hard time struggling with the AC it’s as if it was motion activated. The instructions they emailed me said “When using AC, please keep the main thermostat around 72F. Setting it too low can freeze the coil and leave you without AC.” I would find the AC on 79-81 degrees with no way of decreasing it because it needed an access code. The AC was locked. When I brought this up to them they said this, “You can access settings where the 3 lines are.
Are there more than 4 people in the home? More bodies contribute to the temp going up often.” I couldn’t believe this response because they obviously know they locked there AC and there was no way to decrease it. The only way to stay cool was to close the blinds or sit still and didn’t barley move.
The last but not least of the rude messages was when I couldn’t sleep and needed to see if I could check out a little bit later, especially since my flight was later in the day. I messaged them around 3:48am saying, “Hi, is there any way we can check out later than 11? My flight isn’t till 5.30pm and I’d really appreciate it” and they read it at 4:01am, and never replied. In the morning when I woke up to just go ahead and checkout. I saw this text, “Morning! I certainly hope the 4am time was insomnia and not a party.
I’ve responded in the Airbnb thread.” I was comeplety and utterly APPALLED because I do actually have insomnia and struggle with it! And getting that type of response threw me for a 180. I couldn’t believe my eyes and what I had read. How could you be so crass and harsh and say such things to people you don’t even know, thoughtless your GUESTS!!
In the thread was this message, “Hi ******,
If you needed an extended check out past 11, into the afternoon, it would equal the value of another night or close to. Let me know if you want to extend.
I will need to know by 10am to also notify the cleaner who come from quite a distance.
A little confused on where you are flying to since your number is local and your profile says Mesquite.”
Again very very shocked and just the utter disrespect. As an AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN, being a minority, I don’t understand if they were off put by that. But my number or being local does not confine me to the area! I’m a nurse (not that it was there or anyone else’s business) and my current my job actually requires me to travel!
Instead of actually being focused on their guests needs and feelings they threw them to the side and said whatever they felt or thought. I wouldn’t stay here again! Just because of how I was treated. With the systemic racism in this world I never expected to get that on a weekend that was supposed to be momentous, joyful and fun! Black lives still matter and will forever matter. And my black dollar is just as good as anyone else’s. I and my guests were well-mannered, clean, and quiet. We left that place SPOTLESS even better than we found it!