Pleasant but a few unpleasant surprises
Review Submitted: August 4, 2008
Date of Stay: July 2008
We spent a pleasant week at this Carpenteria condo. The property is part of a complex built in the early 70's, but the grounds are well maintained and condo is comfortable, airy and bright. It is 10-15 minute walk to the beaches of Carpenteria and some good shoreline hiking, and a few blocks away from the center of the town which is small but cute. The area does not have the sophistication of Santa Barbara, but the down-to-earth "blue collar" feel is part of the charm, especially for families with kids.
Some negatives:
- Although no pets are allowed in the condo the neighbors have dogs, including ones that bark and yap at inappropriate hours.
- The condo could use some maintenance, including a shower with a minor plumbing problem and shower doors that are in need of replacement, and a very sticky patio sliding door.
- The cleaning service, which costs double what it should for a moderate-sized condo, is no bargain for sure. When we arrived the beds were not made and the set of sheets for one bed had not been washed. Following check-out, we were charged an extra fee because we did not strip the beds and left some breakfast dishes in the sink. This is the first time in 20 years of renting that we have been charged extra, and on top of a high fee for sub-standard service. Factor these costs in before deciding on this rental.
Recommended for:
Families with Teenagers,
Families with Young Children
Owner's Response: We are pleased that the guest had a pleasant stay at our town home. As to their negative comments we provide the following information.
Cleaning service is not easy to find for a single unit and only on Saturday occasionally. Some guests do their own cleaning. Our cleaning fee is the lowest we can find and is disclosed up front. Before they rented, a letter was sent to them explaining that linens are provided. For cleanliness, all linens are kept in the linen closet. As a courtesy, linens are available for guests if needed. All of the sheets had been washed before their stay. The welcome letter also states that even though they were not performing the cleaning they must perform certain minimum tasks. Those tasks are: clean and return all eating utensils, pots, pans etc. to the cabinets as they were found, take all trash in the town home to the trash bin and bring all used linens downstairs and put them in a pile for the cleaning service. It takes several hours to clean and do the laundry. It was found that the dishwasher was full, the kitchen counter had dishes on top and in the sink, the trash had not been removed and the soiled laundry was not assembled. These items all take the cleaning service extra time, therefore a cost penalty for the guest.
As to the sticky sliding door. It was found to be off the track. Once it was reset, it now slides easily. The plumbing problem to which they referred is a lack of understanding of how a Mixte shower control works. The controls are new in both showers and we have added some information to our welcome letter to help future guests.
We agree that you should factor in the costs before you rent. We are very up front with what is required and the costs before anyone rents. We have a very nice refurbished town home with all the comforts of home but it is not a hotel where everything is done by someone else. As at home, you perform tasks everyday as you live there. Renting a town home gives you a lot more than renting a hotel room.
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