GotlandStay Volontären

I've lived in 17 countries, and this was the most shameful behavior I've experienced in the housing market. Balder and the housing provider seemed to try to cheat tenants at every opportunity through their partner companies. Their bank charged them for incoming transactions, and instead of solving that issue, they used a partner debt collection company to charge tenants 15 SEK per transaction plus high collection fees. This happened to everyone paying from a bank other than theirs. Go elsewhere!

We got a good offer, so it was good value for us. The rooms were furnished and clean, though there wasn't much crockery: just two plates, spoons and glasses for a room meant for two. Rooms were cleaned once every 5 days, and laundry was reserved for staff. It's a decent place for a short stay, with basic facilities.

We stayed four nights, and the bathroom light never got fixed. We reported it as soon as we arrived, and the guy at reception said someone would take care of it, but no one came, so we had to use the bathroom in the dark. The room walls were quite dirty, although the sheets were clean. It's an okay affordable option near the Visby old town if that's all you need. For hotel-level service, book somewhere else.

I cancelled early so someone else who could travel to Sweden might use the room, but I was still penalized. I had booked four nights, from the 2nd - 6th July, 2020, arriving 2nd July 2020 and leaving 6th July 2020. Because of Covid-19, I couldn't leave my country or enter Sweden. The policy says there is no refund if you change or cancel. I wonder whether I would have been refunded if I simply hadn't shown up because I couldn't enter the country. This feels totally unfair, and a full refund should be given in these circumstances. If I can travel there next year, I definitely won't stay there. The no-refund policy in this situation is just money-grabbing.