Boende Visby

The location is great, and most apartments seem to have a partial view of the ocean facing west. The beds are comfortable, the ceilings are high, and my room was clean and tidy. Still, the place felt old, bare and insecure. Anyone can walk in from the street because the outside doors stay open around the clock. Apartment doors don't lock by themselves, and the inside lock is just a quarter-turn snib, with no deadbolt. The rooms are spacious but poorly equipped. The bathroom was awful: my only mirror was a little one over the sink with bad lighting, and there were no toiletries or hairdryer. There were holes in the door and wall, and the rooms get hot. With the windows open, I was woken at all hours by the restaurant below putting out glass bottles. My room also had a big uncovered window facing a shared balcony that people can reach from the street by metal stairs. One morning I went into the kitchen and saw a stranger looking in through the window. There are no interior doors either, which makes privacy an issue when sharing with friends. The staff seemed disengaged and unhelpful. I had to step around two of them smoking on the entrance steps. There are no signs telling you which doorway leads to which rooms, so finding your way is a guessing game. There's no elevator, and you have to carry your bags up or down the stairs depending on your room. If you don't mind a hostel vibe, you can find good deals here. Otherwise, pay a bit more for a hotel.

The apartment was a reasonable size, though not the place to choose if you want lots of space. It's in a very central spot, budget friendly, and check-in and check-out were simple: I picked up the key from a lockbox in the alley without needing to meet anyone. It had the basics, including kitchen supplies, cutlery, a pan and dishes. Cleanliness was the main issue. There was dirt around the apartment, a half-eaten sandwich left in the fridge, and the bathroom was extremely filthy. Some sticky, tape-like stuff was on the shower handles. I also couldn't get anyone to answer the contact number. For me it was an okay stay, with the bathroom cleanliness as the only real issue. Could work if you're on a budget, but don't expect anything fancy.

A friend and I booked one night at Boende Visby after camping, just so we'd have somewhere dry to sleep. We packed light, but the next morning I realized I'd left my jacket in the room. I contacted the landlord straight away, and he said he'd check. Then I heard nothing for a week. When I called, he acted as if he'd checked the room, but it turned out to be the wrong one. By the time he checked the correct room, the jacket was gone. There was no apology or effort to help or compensate me, and no real attempt to find out what happened to the jacket I was sure I'd left there. It was very disappointing to be left on my own with this, and that's why I'm giving this rating.

The location is very central, with bars and shops nearby, and the price was reasonable. Check-in and check-out were easy with the key box. The Wi-Fi was unreliable, and the kitchen only had one bowl, though it did have the basics like pots, pans and cutlery. The microwave's power dial was broken. Cleanliness was okay apart from the shower, which had visible mold and some disgusting goo on the showerhead bar. Older reviews seem to mention the same shower-cleaning issue. Bring earplugs: the windows barely insulate any sound, and we were woken by loud people outside and a truck at 6 a.m.