VISIONAPARTMENTS Zurich Bellariastrasse

I felt terrible during my stay, and the curtains were the worst part. They didn't cover the windows properly, so people outside could see in. I asked for them to be fixed, but nothing was done. The bed linen was dirty enough that I washed my whole body every day, and my skin itched. They changed the linen twice, but the cover still didn't close properly, leaving the dirty mattress in contact with the sleeping surface. I also hated the location: the street was very dark, which made me feel bad walking there at night. The provider told the person who reserved the place for me that it wasn't on the ground floor, but it was.

The apartment was in central Vienna, but the service and condition fell far short of what I expected from a luxury company. The walls needed paint, the bed felt old and much too soft, the pillows were stained, and the towels were rough. Bring your own shampoo and soap, the products provided weren't good. Even getting the keys felt unfriendly. The office staff seemed short on both warmth and information, and there was no welcome when I picked them up. A smile and an offer of a drink would have gone a long way. The company has a lot of work to do with its staff and properties.

Customer service was very responsive when I had a problem with the lights and TV, and they got those sorted. The room, though, was at street level in the basement, so it didn't feel private and the curtains did little to help. Keep the lounge door closed when you're in the shower, or passersby can see in. There weren't enough plug sockets either.

The worst recent issue at the Bellariastrasse property was finding dog shit spread across the indoor hallway on our way to work. We had to step around it. Visionapartments said a cleaner would arrive in 20 minutes after we called, but nearly two days later it was still there. At first they tried to get me to stop calling and email instead. We've been in Zurich for an extended period because our company arranged for us to stay here, and the whole experience has been horrible. There are drug overdoses in the hallways, escorts bring clients in and out, the units smell of cigarettes, and most of the other guests seem transient and yell through the night. Management doesn't care about your comfort. Their business model doesn't seem to depend on repeat customers, so they'll take your money until the next unlucky person has to stay through work or books a cheap room on Booking.com.