I stayed at Samantha’s apartment for 5 nights while traveling to Sydney by myself.
Pros
+ Location was very central, close to the train station. There is a lot of foot traffic around the area, so I felt pretty safe walking back home by myself past ~10pm, which is great if you are a female traveling alone
+ The apartment was well appointed and renovated as described
+ Samantha’s support team was very responsive and easy to get in touch with
+ There is an extra lock at building entrance, which helped me feel safe at night
+ Inexpensive vs. other comparable listings in the area
Considerations
- Old building: there are a few flights of stairs you have to walk up to get to the elevator, apt was not very soundproof so it was hard to sleep at night (I am fairly sensitive to noise), found many roaches / larvae / bugs crawling around throughout the unit, front door lock didn’t feel very robust
- Separate check in point - you have to grab the keys from the other side of the building (on another street) and return it at check out, which might be tough if you are traveling by yourself since streets are hilly and you have to roll your luggage
- Hallway from elevator to unit is exposed, there is a fence that isn’t super low but not super high either, something to consider if you are scared of heights, I was careful not to drink too much because of this
- Not much closet / storage space as it is filled with host’s belongings
- Cleanliness can be improved
Overall the property could offer great value for those traveling alone / looking for a crashpad at night, but I wish the listing were more descriptive to include any necessary considerations for travelers.