"I had a conflicted experience at this apartment."
Overall, I would say it was positive, but I feel it's important to give others an idea of what to expect.
Firstly, as others have stated, the oven is tricky. There's a very minimal instruction booklet included, but the oven instructions within that are apparently incorrect. This didn't affect me as I had no use for it, but it could be an issue for others.
Other issues included food left in the freezer, a broken hinge on the bin lid, the sofa bed not returning to a sitting position after it's reclined, and dead, corroded batteries in the lighting remote. The last two of these were the first time I had to contact the owners, and to their credit, they promptly arrived with more batteries and fixed the sofa. A word of warning though - even they struggled for a while to get the sofa bed to sit upright, so don't touch it unless you want to have to do the same. Also, the only heating is provided by two portable heaters. They kept the place warm, but, since they're located in the bedroom and living room/kitchen, the bathroom was usually cold.
The place was clean, but the owners also admitted no one had been in the flat for 3 weeks, and I realised that, evidently, not much attention was paid to anything beyond cleanliness. How do batteries manage to go unnoticed for so long that they noticeably corrode? Isn't it standard to do a quick check of the fridge, freezer etc? There was also a lack of essentials, or a care package, as some places do. All of this felt a bit nitpicky, however. To the point where I overlooked other things, like the TVs apparently having live channels, but no signal. At this point, I didn't want to have to contact them again, so I just made do. However, it definitely felt like it was missing a thoughtful touch.
Then, the shower broke, and the owner arranged for an electrician to fix it. Again, to their credit, this was done promptly - same day, by 4pm - but you can't help but feel slightly demoralised that there's another issue, even if it is out of their control.
Thankfully, this was mostly the end of it, and there were of course some positives. The location is great, and I enjoyed walking into the city center most days. This was the main draw for me, and the reason I ignored some of the issues. The furniture and decoration is modern and clean, even if the sofa could be a bit more comfortable. The bed, on the other hand, was very comfortable, and I slept well other than, what I assume, was the people staying in the flat opposite - whose drum and bass I could hear some mornings. The owners were obviously attentive and reactive when problems arose, however it would have been nice not to need them.
Overall, the positives outweigh the negatives for me, mostly because of the city itself and what a good time I had exploring it. I don't feel like there were any unmanageable problems, so as long as you're aware of what to expect, I feel that it is a good base to get stuck into the amazing surroundings.
Reviewed by Victoria3.4★Mar 2025