It has been my practice, every time Rebekah and I have stayed at an Airbnb, to write a fair review of our accommodations.
Each experience has been unique; from the small mountain cabin in North Carolina’s Maggie Valley, to the beach house in Camber Sands in the U.K., to the exquisite 1920’s Craftsman on the Bayou in Pensacola.
Pittsburgh:
This time we tried something new. We had just three nights in Pittsburgh and I thought it would be fun to experiment with a one-bedroom apartment instead of a hotel.
We really enjoyed the city. Check these three posts for some great Pittsburg photos and stories:
But I hesitated to write a review, because it wasn’t going to be glowing. Then I received the following message from the host:
“As this is a new listing, I would greatly appreciate if you could leave an honest review of your stay at your convenience.”
Fair enough. Here we go:
Thanks for your hospitality
First, let’s be clear this isn’t a negative review. It’s just not going to be all “Five stars and wow!” It also may be partially my fault because my research was inadequate
It was hard from the get-go because the apartment is in a not-so-nice neighborhood, and that’s tough to get beyond. I’m wondering if Airbnb could maybe develop a neighborhood rating system so people like me could have a heads-up?
Maybe something like: “This is an older Pittsburg neighborhood that – to be honest – is all kinds of run down. Boarded up businesses, neglected homes, and garbage on the streets. Fair warning.”
I stumbled and almost fell – twice – on the broken steps (a liability), and the building itself looks generally the worse for wear. So we went through the front door with a negative impression. Not a great start.
Nice inside!
Once inside it was obvious the place is clean, well taken care of, and welcoming. The directions were clear, we had no trouble parking, and the host added some nice personal touches – we soon felt a lot better.
The bed was comfortable, the shower was really good, and the amenities – in general – adequate. But the pictures on the web site give the impression of a spacious, airy, well-appointed space in a nice building and that’s a stretch.
So, by the room:
- The bedroom is fine. Small but comfortable bed and just enough room. The wi-fi is strong.
- It is always good to have a kitchen, but this one needs a lot more lighting (maybe track lighting?) if you want to prepare food. Plus, a couple of lids for the cookware would go a long way.
- The living room looks nice, but sitting on the sofa is so uncomfortable as to be unusable.
- Excellent bathroom. Just what we needed.
The price was absolutely reasonable, but we honestly didn’t feel comfortable there and that’s not what you want. Again, I blame myself for not researching the address better. But still, I can only offer this Airbnb three stars out of five.
Regardless, and I mean this: “Thanks for the hospitality.” Best – DEREK
Here are the photos: 1) The neighborhood 2) The inside
