I think Jonathan is a highly responsive host who cares about his property.
First and foremost, the house is right next to (as in, only a couple of steps away from) active train tracks. I’m shocked that no one has mentioned this in prior reviews; it’s a huge deal but it isn’t mentioned anywhere. I couldn’t sleep at all. The house shakes whenever a train passes and it’s very loud. I’m a light sleeper so the noise and constant movement woke me up throughout the night and it was very hard for me to even fall asleep. In addition, there’s some type of loud buzzing noise that happens every half hour; almost like a dryer buzzer; we thought perhaps it was the ice maker since it comes from the kitchen area. For a light sleeper like me, it’s very hard to sleep through.
The neighborhood is mediocre; very residential. Some run down homes and some nice houses. If you’re vacationing and looking to walk/take in sights, it’s not the most scenic place to stay but it is indeed close to the airport and just about 15 mins from the beach. So, it’s a quick drive to most places you’re trying to get to. Very convenient.
The house is probably fine to stay in for one night but we rented it for a week, vacationing for the holiday. I don’t think it’s that kind of place for a family. We found that there was no cable TV, so it’s not necessarily a place you want to sit and lounge around if you’re vacationing; no dishwasher, so you’ll be washing dishes constantly if you don’t buy paper goods.
We couldn’t use the washer during our 6-day stay, which made it impossible to wash towels and linens. The house having a washer/dryer was one of the factors that went into choosing it because we were traveling with kids. The host offered to reimburse us up to $50 for our laundry IF we provided a receipt. That’s a little crazy. First off, what laundromat provides receipts? Second, wouldn’t you just refund your guests for any amenity that you claim exists in your home if it doesn’t really exist or work? We had to go to the laundromat.
The house was not cleaned well. On the surface, it looked clean but it definitely wasn’t cleaned well. We found uneaten food in the oven, the microwave had food specs and there were hair/bath products on the shower wall. It’s not really a big deal except that the guest pays a cleaning fee for a house that wasn’t cleaned well to begin with.
We noticed that none of the windows or doors were locked when we got in the first night after being out for dinner. If safety is a concern for you, check for that type of thing.
The beds were fine. I would say that the pillows need to be replaced but overall, the bed was fine.
We’ve traveled quite a bit in 2021 and many of the hotels we’ve stayed in don’t book the room out for 24 hours after a guest leaves because they want to clean and let the room air out. So, I think it’s a bit much to turn a house over in a couple of hours after a guest leaves.
Unfortunately, the guests before us damaged the walls and broke a glass window on an interior door - so we didn’t get the house in the best condition and the hosts had no time to make repairs because we checked in a few hours after they checked out.
Overall, the house is fine but for a certain type of guest. I am a stickler for cleanliness, practicality (washer/dryer/dishwasher/extra linens/cable TV) and aesthetics (location/decor, etc). The house was just mediocre in those ways but very quaint, otherwise. However, the host is professional and responsive. If he knows your needs in advance, I think he would try to accommodate them.