AVI City Apartments

We had a good stay at King's house, Jahnstr. The company seems to have several apartments. For a small family reunion, we needed separate arrangements for different family groups and a shared place to eat, talk, and spend time together. This apartment worked well for that, with a modern feel, light, space, and a quiet back street in a very central location. The ground floor has an entrance area big enough for prams, a shared room with two sofas, a dining table for six to eight, and a kitchen with two fridges but no freezer. Upstairs, Room 1 has three beds, a clothes rack, a small chest of drawers, and an ensuite bathroom. Room 2 has three beds, two wardrobes, and an ensuite bathroom that the top floor can also use through a separate landing door. The top floor has four beds, one wardrobe, two small LACK ikea tables, and plenty of room, but no door. It looks out at a roof terrace that guests can't access, as the door handles have been removed. The large, movable beds could be arranged freely, and were comfy. The bedrooms had nice wooden floors with comfortable floor heating, and there were large floor-to-ceiling windows. The showers were nice, and the three-room, ten-bed apartment had 2.5 bathrooms. There was WiFi with a repeater, plus a large and small towel for each person. A few things kept it from being five stars. There was only one set of keys for ten beds, though maybe we should have asked for more. The ground floor was cold because the heating was broken and wasn't fixed when we asked, while the other rooms were cozy and warm. Some appliances were broken, and the chairs were grubby and couldn't be wiped clean. A hoover was provided but no cleaning kit, which you'd need if several people stayed for a few days. There were no toiletries except washing-up liquid, which I assume previous guests bought. Be prepared to go out for toilet paper, soap, a sponge, and cleaning supplies. If you arrive late on Saturday, you may have to wait until Monday to get them. The TV seemed to be for decoration only, and there weren't enough bathroom towels, so three people had to give up one of theirs. On arrival, you have to collect the keys and pay 10-15 minutes' walk away. Credit cards are fine, but the card has to belong to the person presenting it. The owner must be present with ID to prove their identity. The company was quick to answer whenever we called, even on weekends.

The location is nice, but don't count on everything working without asking questions. We had to ask for a technician to restore the hot water, and the TV was just for decoration, with no cable or remote control.

The listing was misleading.

I booked three days here with friends, but when we arrived the place was incredibly dirty. There were stains on the mattresses that couldn't just be wiped clean, mold, and a big blood stain on one pillow, among other things. We booked another hotel that same evening and thankfully got our money back through Booking.com. The reception staff for these apartments weren't very helpful. Instead of enjoying my first night in Düsseldorf, I had to find somewhere else at the last minute and try to get a refund. Very disappointing.