Hayarkon Blue Sea I in Tel Aviv-yafo

The apartment problems kept piling up, and the response from the company afterward was even worse. We reported issues during the stay and emailed once home. After weeks of repeated calls, we got an email saying we had lied, hadn't reported anything, and that the problems didn't exist. We sent photos and never heard back. Horrible. We stayed in a three-bedroom apartment from December 25 to 29, excited by the website pictures, but it didn't meet expectations. Water leaked into the master bedroom during heavy rain and then onto the stairway, creating a dangerous situation. Staff came up to look and take pictures, but nothing was done. We were told the manager would come, then assured someone would at least clean up and lay towels. Nobody did, so I handled it myself. We asked again the next morning, and repairs didn't start until late that day. It was dangerous as well as inconvenient. Other issues included ants crawling on the main floor, after which we were told ant poison had been put down; a microwave that smoked and sparked when we tried to heat something on the last day; and broken lights on the upstairs patio that were never fixed despite our telling reception. The downstairs shower couldn't be used because its door hit the sink when pulled open and blocked the entrance when pushed. The master bathroom floor was a mess, and its bedroom door wouldn't close properly. My daughter's heater stopped working on arrival. It was repaired, then failed again during the night. The portable heater offered as a replacement didn't seem safe for sleeping with because of the fire risk. The heater eventually worked again, but duct tape was holding it open and often came loose.

The one accurate thing about the pictures was the beach across the street. I booked this for my wife and me to celebrate New Year's and her pregnancy, but on arrival I was told rudely that there were no rooms, even though our booking had been confirmed. The receptionist became extremely rude and threw me out of the property. I travel around the world and try to leave honest reviews, but this is the first time I've given a place one star, and even that feels generous. The reception was in an old-looking building, with what seemed to be a dead cockroach in an area that hadn't been cleaned recently. I'm almost glad it worked out this way. I'd strongly advise people not to book here: it could turn into a huge headache, and the exterior looks nothing like the pictures. I hate writing something so harsh, but I have to be honest.

We ended up leaving and spending the rest of our vacation at the Sheraton down the street. After nearly two and a half hours in an empty lobby, the whole episode had already taken a chunk out of our trip. Five days later, a charge for more than $1,000 appeared on my card, so I disputed it with my credit card company. I never gave the hotel my card, so I believe the charge must have gone through Expedia. This place is a total scam. Don't stay here. We had booked through Expedia at Sea Apts, 56 Hayarkon St. and arrived at 2 p.m. There was nobody in the reception hallway, and the tiny office was locked. After I called, a Russian-speaking man came down, asked for my passport, and had me sign a document entirely in Hebrew. When I asked for a copy, he snatched it back and put it behind the desk. Although I had a receipt showing Expedia had been paid in full, the woman on the phone insisted I pay by credit card. I offered to show her the receipt on my phone if she came down, but she refused. The man locked the office and left me with our luggage, telling me to wait five minutes. Expedia customer service tried calling the hotel repeatedly but couldn't reach anyone. I waited until almost 4:30 while staying on the phone with Expedia. No one returned to help or give us a key. It was getting dark, and with four suitcases we needed to find somewhere to stay. I told Expedia I wouldn't accept responsibility for charges, and they assured me I wouldn't be charged.

The only plus is that it's near the beach. The pictures make it look new and stylish, but in reality it was old and dirty. When we arrived, there was a used condom hanging on the balcony 😂