Top flat but no lift

This was a last minute reservation (day before) due to an unexpected cancellation with another flat rental app reservation however there were a few issues/delays with check in. I saw my credit card was charged but didn’t get confirmation of the reservation until well in to the afternoon. As my group was flying in from the US and arriving early I requested early check in but never received feedback on that. Also had trouble with the check in info coming through in my email but was able to call the emergency number and get in to the building. Now, a major issue which isn’t explicitly stated is that the lift has been out of order for months and this flat is the penthouse, which meant carry suitcases up 75 stairs!! We absolutely would not have selected this flat if this had been made clear. When I asked about it the response was that mention of a lift had been removed from the amenities list. Other issues that arose during our stay included a strange man buzzing our unit trying to get in the building late at night (not the fault of the host but again something to consider being close to Chinatown I guess), we saw mice (a serious safety concern when you’re eating off surfaces and have suitcases of clothes on the floor), and when we turned on the stove it popped the circuit breaker (luckily we found the breaker box to reset) which indicates an electrical issue possibly). The flat was clean but definitely worn (spots on carpets, creaky floors, chipped paint, etc.) and although sheets/towels were provided they were limited so we had to request additional blankets (to the host’s credit they did respond promptly to that request, which we appreciated). Additionally, communication with the host was sporadic - sometimes it took hours to get a response. After checkout I did request a partial refund for all of the issues we experienced but it has been 10 days and I still have not heard any answer regarding my request. Overall i’m thankful we had a place to stay but definitely think this flat is very highly priced for what you get and there was a reason it was available last minute.

The design of the penthouse was very cool, but it was well-used with scuffs on the walls, stains on the carpets, and much of the furniture & decor was different from the images posted with the listing. In addition, we were unable to keep the windows open due to a constant foul odor in the neighborhood, which I believe was from a fryer at the Vegan restaurant below or one of the many restaurants in the area. The neighborhood was certainly loud, but it was nice being centrally located. The primary issue that we had with the unit was that the elevator/lift was broken and had been so for many months according to a tenant of the building, however, this information was never communicated to us and only discovered upon arrival with multiple heavy suitcases. When the listing says "We’ve thought through everything so you don’t have to.", but I would expect that a working elevator/lift would fall into that 'everything' category, and the fact that there was no mention of that issue for a unit on the 5th floor penthouse is unconscionable. My wife had a hip replacement just two months prior to arrival and navigating the 74-stairs up and down on a daily basis was very difficult. This is information that we should have been made aware of in advance of our stay as it would have had an effect on our choice for booking, especially since the lift has been broken for many months according to the information that we received. My attempted email communication after our stay was unfortunately ignored. Alex & team have been aware of the issue for months but chose to ignore it and not to make their guests aware, which is just bad business.

The design of the penthouse was very cool, but it was well-used with scuffs on the walls, stains on the carpets, and much of the furniture & decor was different from the images posted with the listing. In addition, we were unable to keep the windows open due to a constant foul odor in the neighborhood, which I believe was from a fryer at the Vegan restaurant below or one of the many restaurants in the area. The neighborhood was certainly loud, but it was nice being centrally located. The primary issue that we had with the unit was that the elevator/lift was broken and had been so for many months according to a tenant of the building, however, this information was never communicated to us and only discovered upon arrival with multiple heavy suitcases. When the listing says "We’ve thought through everything so you don’t have to.", but I would expect that a working elevator/lift would fall into that 'everything' category, and the fact that there was no mention of that issue for a unit on the 5th floor penthouse is unconscionable. My wife had a hip replacement just two months prior to arrival and navigating the 74-stairs up and down on a daily basis was very difficult. This is information that we should have been made aware of in advance of our stay as it would have had an effect on our choice for booking, especially since the lift has been broken for many months according to the information that we received. My attempted email communication after our stay was unfortunately ignored. Alex & team have been aware of the issue for months but chose to ignore it and not to make their guests aware, which is just bad business.

Gorgeous penthouse flat. Open, airy, clean, and comfortable! Close to Tube, theater, restaurants, shopping--anything you could want from London! Cab rank right outside the door. Did sleep with ear plugs--China Town nearby has lots of partiers going home late, walking by laughing, singing, sometimes arguing. Love the city vibe, but I am a light sleeper. Would def stay here again! Would love to LIVE here!

Gorgeous penthouse flat. Open, airy, clean, and comfortable! Close to Tube, theater, restaurants, shopping--anything you could want from London! Cab rank right outside the door. Did sleep with ear plugs--China Town nearby has lots of partiers going home late, walking by laughing, singing, sometimes arguing. Love the city vibe, but I am a light sleeper. Would def stay here again! Would love to LIVE here!

The apartment needs minor improvements (such as a place for soap and shampoo at the showers) but overall is very spacious and the outside area a big plus since the weather was mostly good during our stay. The down side is that although the location is excellent it is very noisy. They would have to put noise cancelling glass on the windows or let people know in advance as we could hear loud music until 3am. Nevetheless we had a good time and it was comfortable.

The apartment needs minor improvements (such as a place for soap and shampoo at the showers) but overall is very spacious and the outside area a big plus since the weather was mostly good during our stay. The down side is that although the location is excellent it is very noisy. They would have to put noise cancelling glass on the windows or let people know in advance as we could hear loud music until 3am. Nevetheless we had a good time and it was comfortable.