De Spot Guest House

The host was friendly and attentive, and the location is fantastic. The windows do a great job of keeping street noise out. The walls are thin, but that's expected in an old house, and it didn't bother us at all. I can't fault the place.

The credit card company eventually decided the charge was fraud and refunded me in full. That came after more than two weeks of trying with Booking.com to reach the property, which kept ignoring calls. Booking.com said it couldn't approve a refund without the property's agreement, so I was out over $1,000 while the card company investigated. I left right away and booked somewhere else after finding my room unlocked and the AC turned off, despite it being 95F every day. The only people there were me and the housekeeper, since the other guests had checked out. When I asked her to reply to Booking.com's messages and explained that someone had entered my room, she said it wasn't her responsibility and acted as if she knew nothing about it. The day I arrived, she hadn't seen me leave and everything was fine when I returned. The next day she saw me go out, and the room was different when I got back. The online photos make the place look much nicer than it is in person. It felt like a hostel, which is fine, but not what I expected for nearly $200 a night. The bed only had a fitted sheet and a top sheet, so I had to ask for a blanket. The upper-floor rooms are two flights of stairs from the fridge and tea, and the walls are so thin I could hear the AC beeps from across the hall. Those things were minor compared with what happened after I went out. I don't usually write reviews or complain about businesses, but I travel a lot and have never had this experience. I wanted to share it so someone else doesn't go through the same thing.

I spent five nights here on my own, Monday through Friday, and found it very good value for the location. Shops, supermarkets, cafes and restaurants are all close by. The room was very clean, and the host was friendly and helpful. Towels and a hairdryer were supplied, though you'll need to bring your own toiletries. I had a lovely stay.

The staff were all really nice. Thanks so much.