We regret booking this place, and couldn’t wait to leave.
The first signs of trouble came when the messages we sent to our host prior to check-in went unanswered. Days passed without us receiving proper check-in instructions or an exact address, until literally a few hours before we were supposed to arrive. Well, the address turned out to be a back alley where we were promptly met up by a “contact” of the host who, not speaking a word of English, led us into a car lift that opened into a musky basement, then onto a second elevator that eventually crawled to a stop. She offered no help with our luggage.
A “Grand Old Home with Balconies” this was not. The most forgiving of descriptions would highlight the central location and high ceilings vaguely evocative of the home’s former glory, but the emphasis here should be more on the “former,” and less on the “glory.” The entire home reeked of cigarettes and cheap deodorizer. What was advertised as two bedrooms should have been offered as one (the “second bedroom” is actually a windowless alcove with a door). The layout of the entire apartment was odd, with misplaced furniture and cheaply patched-up repairs, cracked tiles and faux flowers. The washing machine still didn’t work (since at least Nov). It was not possible for us to use the toilet in the 2nd bath without bumping into the sink placed in front.
The only silver lining was the taxi stand right in front of the building: at least the check-out promised to be less tortured than the check-in.