Let’s start from the beginning. I needed to check-in about an hour or so earlier than noted on Airbnb. The host instructions were to contact the hosts’ representative if I had any questions. When I called them, the lady (offshore call center with struggling English) said to contact the host. Hence, I called the host number directly and I think the host picked up and agreed to check me in early.
He sent me the largest text message I’ve ever received (I had to swipe an entire mobile phone screens worth of text at least five times), with redundant check-in instructions that were entirely out of order, and largely useless. Towards the bottom were the keycodes to get in, which worked fine.
However, once inside and settled, a lot of issues were noticed that became red flags: the rooms upstairs were extremely hot, regardless of if the temperature controlling the central A/C was set at the lowest setting of 68. I advised the host of the problem, and made the following suggestions to remedy: install a portable A/C unit, install a window A/C unit, or program the thermostat to go lower than 68 (if possible).
The response received was literally a screenshot of some computer screen showing the temperature setting of 68 and stating to me it was comfortable. For me: stop right there, cardinal sin, game over, I’m cancelling. I don’t book reservations with gaslighting, pretentious idiots.
The bed top was a cheap, extremely uncomfortable memory foam. If you sleep on it, you will wake up with a back ache. In addition, either a guest, or some random guy was smoking low quality marijuana downstairs, stinking up the entire home. While in New Jersey it is medically legal, and there are no explicit house rules forbidding this, it is should be stated up front on the listing folks are allowed to do this. I likely would not have booked if I knew.
There is a dog next door that barks loudly and incessantly at all hours of the day and night. The host needs to contact the local animal control and police department about a noise complaint. He refused to do so.
As mentioned earlier, the host has a attitude of being dismissive of guest complaints, insulting their intelligence with nonsensical responses, gaslights, etc. The location is in the worst neighborhood of Jersey City (right on the border of JC and Bayonne). There is a lot of ‘hooping and hollaring’ outside at all hours of the night.
The cancellation policy is strict. Hence, regardless of the problems reported to the host, he will respond with some non-answer response, wasting your time, and refusing a refund. If you cancel, he will give you nothing no matter what. The only way to get a reasonable partial refund is to contact Airbnb.
In conclusion, I will be avoiding this clown, and all of his listings going forward. Avoid this guy like the plague unless you are a sadomasochist and love one-star experiences on Airbnb.