The pictures conveniently hide that this room is in incredible disrepair. While it gave us a suitable place to sleep, the numerous points of damage, combined with the impersonal treatment of the owner, made this room not on par with other rooms of its price point.
THE GOOD:
The AC worked in Texas heat. The bed was soft and free of bedbugs. The house has a gravel parking lot in the back so we could avoid street parking. Each bedroom door is locked with a keypad, so we felt secure. Common areas were clean and well-decorated.
THE BAD:
We had to message repeatedly and call to receive our check-in instructions by 7 PM (check-in starts at 3). Three of the four light fixtures in the room had no bulbs. Although we registered two guests, we only received one towel and one water bottle. While the room was swept and had no smell, we noticed significant stains on the blinds and chairs, as well as a pile of discarded toilets, microwaves, and trash in the backyard, and were concerned for the cleanliness of the building. Unclear labelling of doors had us constantly worried whether we were entering a guest bathroom or a resident bedroom. The bathroom door was very difficult to close, but this may be because of the age of the building.
THE UGLY:
The ceiling had about five feet of water damage with a gaping 6”x12” hole gouged in the middle, and paint flakes fell from this hole during our stay. The ceiling fan was insecurely attached and swung around as it spun. The AC unit made sounds which suggested something was inside or it was slipping from the wall. Ductwork and insulation were exposed at multiple locations. In the bathroom, the sink was totally broken and unusable. Tiles peeled from the bathroom floor. Fire alarms were missing from their sockets across the building.
If we had ever seen the owner or been told of efforts to make repairs, much of this would be forgivable. As it was, we got the impression the owner does not live on the property, as we never saw family photos, portraits, etc. His competitors of the same price point offer far greater personal services, furnishings, and conditions. As a result, the stay felt more like a hotel than an Airbnb, and by hotel standards, our room was worthy of a refund.