Vagabond Corvin

The apartment was tidy and clean, though very basic, and I didn’t find the bed very comfortable. They had supplied soap, washing-up liquid, and washing machine pods. The location beside the metro was convenient, but there was a lot of shouting outside at night. Check-in is handled online, so make sure you complete it before arriving. We had no trouble getting the building code and instructions within an hour of our check-in time.

The online registration you have to complete is tedious and overcomplicated. The penthouse itself is spacious, with a well-considered layout and some smart touches. But for the higher price, the wear and tear stood out. It was mostly cosmetic, though the torn or missing privacy screens on every window facing neighbors and the inadequate lighting were real inconveniences. A note for parents: although children are shown as welcome, I wouldn’t recommend this duplex penthouse for families. The staircase has no railings, and children could easily climb onto the kitchen cabinets from the upper floor.

The apartment is close to the center, a large shopping mall, and a grocery store, and we had a good stay overall. The bathroom had several small broken things, including towel hooks. Staff had apparently noticed, but the broken pieces were just left on a little ledge. There was only one dishcloth, and the floorboards had shifted apart, leaving large gaps that were uncomfortable to walk on. The beds were okay, though the sheets were stained. The kitchen was small, with an electric hob, oven, and microwave. The air conditioning worked very well, but we couldn’t turn it down. Wi-Fi was slow despite each room supposedly having its own connection. Lights in the halls and stairways switched off after five seconds, so we used flashlights on the stairs. At 7 a.m. one day, a fire alarm sounded for 15-20 minutes. While looking around the complex, we saw that fire exits were tied shut with zip ties and the escape routes weren’t clear. We couldn’t open the door in an emergency. We think there wasn’t actually a fire, and once the alarm stopped, we went back inside because no staff came outside to update us. It would have been good to hear what was happening and to have usable emergency exits. There’s no reception on site. We called customer service, who were friendly and helpful. After online check-in, an email arrived at least an hour later with instructions to download an app to use as the door key. That worked fine.

The place seemed great at first, but the flat was more like a time capsule from 1993. The sink was clogged and the smell made it feel like someone had mistaken the apartment for a urinal. The broken sofa had cigarette holes everywhere, the wardrobe was decorative, and the pillows were yellow with filthy carpets underneath. When I complained, they told me to open the windows, even though it was 35°C and the balcony door was broken. Unless you’re filming a horror movie or testing your immune system, stay away.