Firstly, shoes were not to be worn in the house. It was dismissed as something to do with ‘kids staying’. Perhaps it is a cultural misunderstanding but I find this to be incredibly unwelcoming and a trifle rude.
The windows in the lounge and main bedroom were not permitted to be opened. Again dismissed as a problem with a previous guest we were advised that it “would just be easier” if we didn’t open these windows. We stayed during a period of - literally - record breaking summer temperatures (40°+C/104°+F) and the inability to access fresh and cooler air at night made relaxing or sleeping impossible. The air became stale & oppressive without ‘through-flow’. In accordance with government advice for managing the heatwave conditions, we eventually resolved to open the windows, regardless, only to find that the owner had locked the lounge room window shut; furthermore, rubber seals had been applied further preventing the window being opened.
The ground floor door with direct access to the outdoor area was described as difficult to use and “it would be easier if we didn’t open it” thus requiring guests to climb the stairs to the lounge room and then descend the outdoor stairs to the outdoor area. Keeping this door closed further reduced our ability to ventilate the house
The shower in the main bedroom en-suite was unusable - it did not drain properly and would have quickly overflowed into the bathroom and bedroom had we continued to use it.
The owner arrived unannounced mid-stay to return cleaned laundry, to storage inside the house, for future guests. This is not neither appropriate nor acceptable.
Both showers lacked anywhere to store toiletries and soap. There were no hand towels or flannels (face washers) provided. There were not enough dinner bowls.
The apartment is well presented with three good size bedrooms and plenty of storage. The kitchen is large, functional and visually appealing equipped with good quality appliances. The washer/dryer works well. The apartment is located in a renewed, safe and vibrant area with plenty of restaurant choices and close to transport.