Airbnb - Eureka, CA: Terri Dropped The Ball And Airbnb Fumbled For A Safety

Serene Views (Terri)

Eureka, CA, United States

Airbnb - Terri's Serene Views (Eureka, CA)

As a frequent traveler and regular Airbnb customer, I made an "Instant Book" reservation for the very first time at Terri's "Serene Views", a private room in Eureka, California with this description:

"My place is close to close to beaches, Old Town, Henderson Center, Hiking, Parks, great views, restaurants and dining. You’ll love my place because it is in a beautiful, private, quiet neighborhood overlooking the golf course, tucked into a green belt forest with a comfy bed, private bathroom, use of the kitchen and big private backyard"

It's "close to close beaches", must be pretty damn close, anyway ... Instant Book is a feature that allows you to enter your dates of travel and if a listing's calendar has no occupancy during that time, you can get an instant "confirmed" reservation instead of waiting for the owner to get back to you. Sometimes it takes days to get a confirmed reservation from some of these ding-a-lings, so when I saw what looked like a nice place at a good price, I cancelled a reservation I had made on another site and booked with Eureka Terri ... BIG MISTAKE!

Here is my confirmed Instant Book reservation:

An hour-and-a-half later, I got a message from Terri:

"Looking forward to meeting you!"

BUT ... nearly four hours later, as I was prepping for my trip, I received this surprising and inadequate message from Terri:

"My family requests a visit during this time. Hope you find a suitable replacement. Thank you."

Here was Airbnb's CONFIRMATION OF MY CANCELLATION:

UNSAT ... FUBAR ... My week in Eureka is now Tango-Uniform  and I am scrambling to find a place to stay for a week in my price range ... thanks, for nothing Terri and Airbnb!

Now I'm going to have to pay hundreds of dollars more because some Airbnb Airhead, an unprofessional newbie, could not keep her calendar up-to-date. It makes Airbnb look bad because they condone this behavior and should not have been allowed. What is the purpose of Instant Book if your confirmed reservation can simply be cancelled on a whim by the host? Useless ... both Instant Book and Airbnb's response to the situation because when I sent them a message communicating my dismay, all I got was an automated response telling me, to paraphrase: "we're too busy and important to respond to every customer ... sorry, you are on your own bub!"

CombatCritic Gives Eureka Terri And Airbnb 1 Bomb Out Of 10 And A Spot On MY WALL OF SHAME ... More Bombs Are Better!

One Bomb Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





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Title: Airbnb - Eureka, CA: Terri Dropped The Ball And Airbnb Fumbled For A Safety

Key Words: Airbnb, Airbnb.com, Terri, Eureka, California, room, private, serene, view, accommodation, hotel, reservation, confirmed, cancellation, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR = "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

Airbnb - Brooklyn, NY: Jose's Bedroom In Front Of Prospect Park

Jose's Bedroom In Front Of Prospect Park

Airbnb - Brooklyn, NY

Website: Airbnb

Jose was a wonderful host. The apartment is centrally located next to Prospect Park and a 5-minute walk to the F Train Station (Fort Hamilton), so getting around Brooklyn and NYC was a breeze.

Jose sold us a weekly transit pass ($31) upon arrival, providing us with unlimited subway and bus access throughout NYC and its burroughs for a full seven days, quite a bargain in a city where one subway ride costs $2.75.

The apartment is on the second floor of a six-story brick building and there is an elevator for those with heavy bags. Being a fashion designer, the flat is simply and tastefully furnished. Access to the kitchen and bathroom were never a problem and Jose provides filtered and bottled water, coffee and tea, clean linens and towels, and privacy. 

The private room is large, although there was little closet space to hang our things. The bed is large and comfy, there is a large flatscreen TV with cable, and a large desk is provided along with fast, free wi-fi. We did not spend much time in the room, but while we were there we were quite comfortable. There is also a window air conditioner in the room which came in handy as the temperatures were unseasonably warm in Brooklyn during the end of May.

There is a small market next to the subway station, but you must walk 10-15 minutes to find a selection of supermarkets, restaurants, and other shops. Parking can be a challenge because of the street sweeping schedules, but we were very lucky to park right in front of the building during our entire 8-night stay. The area is very safe.

Jose was not around a lot, but when he was, we enjoyed his company very much. He even made my wife two lovely bags with some leftover material he had in his work room as well as giving us souvenir bag tags to remember our visit ... Muchas gracias Jose!

The apartment was clean, comfortable, convenient, and cost-effective at just $68 per night plus fees (less than $80 per night, including a $20 cleaning fee and a $68 Airbnb service fee), an excellent value in one of the most expensive cities in the world!

CombatCritic Gives Jose's Bedroom In Front Of Prospect Park 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Nine Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Airbnb - Brooklyn, NY: Jose's Bedroom In Front Of Prospect Park

Key Words: Airbnb, Jose, Prospect Park, Brooklyn. New York, Prospect, park, room, apartment, accomodation, private, bath, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: OOH-RAH = "U.S. Marine Response To A Verbal Greeting Or As An Expression Of Enthusiasm"

Philadelphia, PA: Nice, Clean Airbnb Room With Shared Bath in Central Philly ... Excellent Value!

Airbnb

Leane's "A Fabulous Night's Stay"
Website: Airbnb.com - A Fabulous Night's Stay

The room and home were very clean and the price reasonable for such a central location near downtown Philadelphia. 

Pros: 

1) Easy walk to the bus or Metro and central enough that you can walk to many places around downtown. 

2) There are markets, pharmacies, shops, and restaurants within a 10-minute walk of the house. 

3) The room is reasonably large and private, having nearly everything needed for a short stay, including a large closet, fold-down desk, and folding chair. 

4) The shared bathroom is very big and has plenty of supplies (hair dryer, shampoo/conditioner, extra toothbrushes, etc.) 

5) The neighborhood is clean, well kept, safe, and the people in the area were friendly. We felt safe and welcome in the neighborhood and were not concerned about our safety, even after dark. 

6) There is a washer and dryer in the home. 

7) The wi-fi is fast, free, reliable and we never had a problem connecting, loading pages, or watching video/movies. 

8) The host stays to herself mostly, does not "hover", and was helpful when we asked questions about the area. 

9) Coffee, tea, instant hot chocolate and cookies are provided in the dining room downstairs for breakfast. 

10) No TV in the home, so you can spend more time seeing Philadelphia! 

Cons: 

1) Parking on the street near the house was scarce when we arrived, but I managed to find a spot down the block after dropping our bags. 

2) The bedrooms are upstairs and the staircase is narrow, making it tricky to maneuver large bags to the room. 

3) The bathroom is shared among three rooms and access was occasionally a problem. 

4) There is no ice or bottled/filtered water available, so bring/buy your own if you like ice and do not want to drink tap water. 

5) The coffee was nearly gone and the host unavailable when we awoke on our first morning, so I had to figure out where the coffee and filters were stored to prepare more. 

6) The host did not respond to the text and email I sent the day before arrival nor did she answer two phone calls I placed when we first arrived and had difficulty locating a parking place. However, she did answer the door once I found a temporary parking spot to drop our bags and was very responsive thereafter. 

7) No TV in the home if you want to catch up on news or your favorite show(s). 

In summary, Leane is a very personable host, the room an exceptional value, and the home in immaculate condition. A comparable hotel room would cost well over $100, making this Airbnb option an excellent value if visiting central Philadelphia. 

CombatCritic Gives Leane's "Fabulous Night's Stay 2" 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

Leane's Response:

"Thank you so much for the review. It was lovely to have met you both and I am pleased you would stay again when in Philly. Sorry I missed your call, I have a 100% response rate and take communication very seriously. On occasion I will miss a message because I am physically unable in the moment, but fortunately we spoke within 10 minutes of your call. My response time is within a few minutes if I happen to miss you, which most of my guests will tell you rarely happens. It is so funny you mentioned about bottled water. Before seeing your review I actually went out and stocked the fridge with sparkling water, an assortment of flavored, natural lemonades, orange juice and of course... bottled water. There is also ice, chocolate fudge and vanilla ice cream and fruit bars available in the freezer for guests. You should have stayed one more day! Now folks can make iced coffee and oreo cookie sundaes to beat this Philly heat! Lol! Thanks again for all the feedback and happy travels!"

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

TripAdvisor - Top Contributor

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Philadelphia, PA: Nice, Clean Airbnb Room With Shared Bath in Central Philly ... Excellent Value! 

Key Words: Airbnb, Philadelphia, PA, Leane, Pennsylvania, Philly, room, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, hotel, motel, B&B, bed and breakfast, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! ="What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Indianapolis, IN: $85 For This Dump? DO NOT Waste Your Money!

America’s Best Value Inn (East Indianapolis)

7314 E. 21st Street
Indianapolis, IN 46219
Phone: (317) 359-5500
Website: americasbestvalueinn.com

The room was a dump (cigarette burns on the bedspread and around the sink, broken and mismatched furniture) and breakfast was pitiful (coffee and packaged sweet rolls). I've stayed in nicer hotels in India while paying less than $5 per night. How they got a 7.5 rating on Booking.com and $85 of my money is beyond me.

The only reason I did not give them a single bomb was because the bed was reasonably comfortable and the sheets appeared to be the only clean thing in the room.

CombatCritic Gives Americas Best Value Inn Indianapolis East 2 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Two Bombs Equates To

"Tits Up" 

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

TripAdvisor - Top Contributor

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





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Title: Indianapolis, IN: $85 For This Dump? DO NOT Waste Your Money!

Key Words:  America’s Best Value Inn, East Indianapolis, Indiana, IN, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, hotel, accommodation, motel, dump, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato

Washington DC: Airbnb - Private Suite Near The Capitol

Private Suite Near The Capitol!

1644 Gales Street NE #B

Washington, DC 20002

Host: Kelley And Summer

Airbnb Link: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/406932

 
Prices:

$75 x 6 nights             $450

Cleaning Fees        $10

Airbnb Service Fee    $55

Occupancy Taxes*     $74

Total                       $589

Not sure why we paid $75 per night when the room is advertised at $65, but the room was clean and the price very reasonable for a central location in DC just a 10-15 bus ride from the National Mall. 

Pros: 

1) Easy walk to two buses, the X2 which takes you down H Street to the White House and the X8 which goes down Maryland toward the Capitol, terminating at Union Station (for transfers/Metro).

2) There are Safeway and Aldi supermarkets within a 10-minute walk of the house.

3) The room/bath are private and have nearly everything needed for a short stay (microwave/small fridge/Keurig coffee maker).

4) The neighborhood was relatively clean and people in the area were extremely nice, courteous, and helpful.

5) There are numerous diverse and reasonably priced bars and restaurants along Benning/H Street and within a short walk from the location.

6) There is a washer and dryer in the home (see cons) as well as a laundromat just a block away.

7) The wi-fi was fast, free and reliable. Never had a problem connecting, loading pages, or watching video/movies.

8) We were alone in the home the majority of the time, except for Lola (their sweet chihuahua) who kept us company occasionally, and it was relatively quiet (for a big city).

9) Ample parking on the street near the house and we were provided a city parking pass for our entire stay, never moving the car.

10) No TV

Cons: 

1) No Metro in the area and the X8 bus only runs until a little before 10pm, so plan returns wisely.

2) The room/bath are small and there is no place to put clothes. We had to keep everything in our suitcases, storing one under the bed and one on the sofa, leaving only one space on the sofa and the bed on which to sit. If you have a lot of luggage (more than one or two bags), this may not be a good option for you. 

3) The neighborhood is a bit on the rough side. The homes in the area are somewhat run-down compared to areas near the Mall and we observed some rather "sketchy" characters (I won't elaborate on what they were probably doing) around the laundromat two blocks away on Benning. A man we met at a bus stop told us that someone was robbed at gunpoint one evening just two blocks from the house. However, we felt relatively safe and welcome in the area, and were not concerned about our safety, even after dark.

4) We were "discouraged" from doing laundry in the home due to complaints of "high water usage" by Airbnb travelers.

5) We were alone the majority of the time, but it would have been nice to meet both of our hosts (we met Summer on day one for a few minutes), get to know them a little (one of the perks of Airbnb), and get some "local flavor" and tidbits about the area and city. 

6) No TV

CombatCritic Gives Kelley And Summer's Private Suite 7 Bombs Out Of 10

Seven Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

TripAdvisor - Top Contributor

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Washington DC: Airbnb - Private Suite Near The Capitol

Key Words: Airbnb, Washington DC, Washington, DC, Kelley, Summer, private, suite, Capitol, US, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, hotel, accommodation, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor

Translation for Civilians: S&G = "Shits & Grins"

Wichita, KS: Nickeled And Dimed Until The Value Was Gone

Hyatt Regency Wichita

400 West Waterman

Wichita, KS 67202

Get Directions

Phone: (316) 293-1234

Website: wichita.hyatt.com

Prices: $$$$

For the price we paid on Hotwire, $68 per night, the hotel seemed to be a good value and likely would have received 3-4 Stars (6-8 Bombs). Figure in the taxes and fees ($33), as well as the additional parking charge ($10/night), bringing the total to $189 ($94.50/night) for two nights, it is not such a great bargain after all, hence my rating.

The hotel exterior, lobby, and public areas are nice, but the room was nothing special. As in most Hyatt's I have stayed in, there always seems to be something in disrepair. In our room it was the ceiling peeling away from apparent water damage. When we returned to the room at 8pm the first night, our room had not been made-up and was exa

The breakfast buffet at $15.50 a pop seemed a bit high and $3 for a small bottle of water in the room is ridiculous, They nickel ($5) and dime ($10) you after you pay for your room, making what looked like a bargain on Hotwire just another expensive endeavor. Unlike smaller chains and independent operators, the big boys like Hyatt and Hilton do not include breakfast, parking, wi-fi (although wi-fi was free at this property), and other things that should be.

For $100 a night in Wichita, Kansas, parking, breakfast, and bottled water in the room should be included in the price at a nice, but not spectacular $100/night hotel. Had it been, they would have received my top rating, but alas ...

CombatCritic Gives Hyatt Regency Wichita 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - "Elite '14/'15"

TripAdvisor - "Top Contributor" 

Tabelog - "Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - "Super Foodie"

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Wichita, KS: Nickeled And Dimed Until The Value Was Gone

Key Words: Hyatt Regency Wichita, Hyatt, regency, Wichita, Kansas, hotel, parking, fee, expensive, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor