This apartment is clean, comfortable, spacious, and close to the train station. The hospitality, however, was less than what I expected after many happy stays with Airbnb.
I rented the listing for a month with my cat (authorized by the host) but had an unexpected event that required me to travel abroad for a few days. Given that I would be away for four days, I needed to arrange a cat sitter while I was away.
This was already a difficult situation made worse by being in an unfamiliar city where I know very few people. I managed to arrange for a trusted friend to come and watch the cat for a few days. The host, however, was strict with his guest policy and wouldn't allow more guests than what was specified in the reservation. He would not allow me to permit another person to access the apartment to check in on my cat.
I understood this was completely within his discretion as host but I still tried to discuss and solve the issue with him. He not only refused to accommodate but sadly also failed to collaborate with me toward finding an alternative solution. Ultimately, the only reasonable choice was to change my reservation and check out much earlier than originally planned. This was a shame because, again, it is a wonderful apartment.
This host generously refunded me for the earlier check-out, which I appreciate, but his reluctance to help a guest made a tricky situation much more complicated.
Thankfully, I was able to find another Airbnb with a host who was able to happily accommodate cat sitting. I was able to complete my emergency travel without concern for my cat's well-being.