This Airbnb was accurately described by Peter and we mostly enjoyed our stay. The reviews were glowing, and it looked like a relaxing place; that’s why we chose it! Peter has put a significant amount of time and money into decorating, as well as providing most of the essentials a guest would need to feel at home. However, I would be doing a disservice to Peter’s potential clients if I only shared my less than five-star experience with him as he requested.
I let our host know we would be arriving at about 9 PM. As there was a keypad to gain entry, this was not an issue. However, there was no outside light for us to navigate around the building (there is no street parking in the front after 5PM Thursdays-Saturdays, so we had to park just off the back alley) and the front porch was off.
There was a little bit of light from the streetlights, but those of us over the age of 40 will understand the need for good light to be able to see well. We were able to turn the outside light on once we were inside the door, so that helped with the front porch area. To our dismay, the interior light was not working, so we had to use the flashlights on our phones to navigate the staircase. We did not notify Peter about the light issues as we were only staying two nights.
We were grateful to see there was a chain on the door that can be entered from the interior of the building. However, there are two additional doors without chains that are accessible from the outside of the building: one in the kitchen and another in the living room.
The entire apartment was clean and well cared for. We loved that it was an older home, with beautiful woodwork. We greatly appreciated having some artwork and plants to look at. It was very quiet at all hours of the day and night during our stay.
The sunroom was quite inviting with the plethora of plants and light coming in. A great little spot for us to read and enjoy beverages. Having the ability to use the Airbnb’s Netflix account kept us from having to figure out how to use our own.
The windows were knee-height and nearly reached the ceilings. This allowed lots of light throughout the apartment. There are no window coverings in the kitchen, dining room, or sunroom, and there is no window covering on the windows behind the sofa, which is adjacent to the sunroom. The neighboring building is approximately twenty feet away, with windows at the same level as the rental property. We could see directly into the adjacent property--and they could see into our rental. Both bedroom doors are directly across from windows the neighbors can see into. This made us feel exposed and a little bit unsafe.
The kitchen had everything we needed—except a microwave. It would’ve been nice to have one so I could warm up my coffee and my 1/8 cup of marinara sauce. I didn’t want to put either in the 4-quart pot that was available. To be fair, a microwave was not listed in the description.
There was plenty of hot water for a long shower. There was no exhaust fan, no place to set a razor that felt safe, and no hand hold for the shower/clawfoot tub though. I had to hold onto the side of the tub to be able to get out. Folks with long legs probably don’t have as much of an issue with getting out of the tub. If using the tub, there was nowhere but the bottom of the tub or the floor to put items to use within reach. A little tub-height table would easily solve this, or one of those bathtub tray/caddies.
The lighting in front of the mirror was too poor to use for applying makeup. The pictures show the bathroom being brightly lit. The only way for it to be that bright, is to open the window covering. Then neighbors could see in the window if they are on their deck at the building that is about two feet away. It would be nice if there was a little table to the right of the bathroom vanity that I could put some of my things on as the narrow shelf doesn’t accommodate anything wider than maybe three inches. It would also be nice if there was a place for a hand towel right next to the sink.
The bathroom mirror is the only mirror in the house. It would be lovely to a full-length mirror.
The second bedroom (off the kitchen) could use a piece of furniture to set belongings on. I had to put my items on the chair and the floor. The pictures were accurate in showing there was only a bookcase in the other bedroom. I just didn’t think about this need for a place to put bags, etc. when I looked at the pictures.
The outdoor chairs were unusable as they were covered in dirt and pine needles. I suspect the host keeps the chairs clean during warm months. I think it got up to 50° when we were here and I understand not everyone likes to sit outside in cool weather.
Overall, I would argue that our stay here was good and I feel Peter has hosting down pat. I’m confident he will consider making some adjustments. I would have rated our stay as four stars if it weren’t for the absence of window coverings. Adding a handhold for the bathtub and window coverings would probably earn five stars from me.