The apartment was immaculate (except the back patio, which didn't seem like it was intended to be used). The decor was sleek and modern/minimalist, and everything was in good working order. It definitely felt like more a hotel suite than a home. (This is neither good nor bad – just FYI.) It had the basic amenities and nothing more. Very generous supply of coffee pods (though a choice other than dark roast would have been nice).
The neighborhood was pretty good. Lots of homeless people, but hey, it’s Portland. It’s located between downtown Portland and Hawthorne, but maintains some character. There are lots of restaurants nearby, and yes, “food trucks” (in semi-permanent “clusters” – not kind that park on the streets and stay open until the wee hours).
I am mixed on Matthew. On the positive side, he was responded immediately to all my inquiries. But one of his communications was rather jarring: When I asked for a 2:00 check-in, he said he could not honor that. OK, understood. I then asked if 3:00 was a possibility, as I was returning from a camping trip and needed to clean up before meeting relatives for the first time before 5:00 PM. His response was, "Sorry, I do not allow early check-ins."
Seriously?! “*I* do not allow”? Not only was I taken aback by this (after all, his Airbnb welcome said to contact him to request early check-in), but I was thrown for a loop. This meetup with my relatives was 45 years in the making!
I admit it was my bad for failing to notice the 4pm check-in time. (This is the first I have encountered later than 3pm.) But saying something like “Sorry, my cleaning crew is not able to accommodate…” or something like that, would have been much more diplomatic, and less insulting/condescending. While his other responses were polite, I sense that he is all business.
It should also be noted that Matthew strictly enforces an 11am checkout -- so that’s a 5-hour gap.
I have to mention that I have a pet peeve re: hosts/businesses that ask you to give them a high rating. Matthew sent me a lengthy follow-up message which was mostly just that. He literally said that he needs to maintain his SuperHost status, and that a 4 star rating can “really hurt a host”. When I look at customer reviews (for lodging or whatever), I want to believe those are *true* ratings, and not those that have been artificially boosted. Therefore, I make it a policy to call out all hosts and organizations that attempt to do that. (Sorry, Matthew, it isn’t just you.)
One more thing I found a bit odd. He requests that shoes be removed before entering the home, even though the floor is 100% concrete. If you suffer from foot/ankle/leg/hip/back issues, you may want to be aware of this.