Forest View Apartment with Parking and Garden

Very clean

Only 1 car park on-site, but there was parking on the road which was a small walk but very minimal lighting when trying to navigate in the dark.

Beautiful and peaceful

Would have liked to meet the host, extra cookware would have made our stay easier

Great place to stay with a family, like a home away from home.

The apartment is as new, very spacious and beautifully decorated. The photos are an accurate reflection of the apartment. It is in a quiet residential street, and the parking is right beside the stairs leading down to the apartment. However, the apartment had a dreadful smell to it, which was particularly noticable when we first arrived, and even more so after returning after a full day out. It was the reek of dampness, and very unpleasant. When we got home each evening, and in the mornings, we had to open the doors wide to try and get fresh air through to mitigate the smell. This was not great given it was winter and very cold outside.

This property is managed through a property management company rather than by the owner who lives in the upstairs of the house. I didn't realise this when I booked. Within a minute after booking on Booking,com I was sent a link via the Booking.com messaging service. I am a very experienced Booking.com user (200+ bookings) and I had never seen anything like it. The form that the link required to be filled out asked a lot of detailed questions about why you wanted to stay there, would anyone be visiting you, what was the reason for your visit to Auckland and several more questions. It then wanted a copy of the front and back of your driver's license and a selfie to confirm your identity. The last page wanted your credit card details. I felt extremely uncomfortable providing all this information, and wondered if I was being scammed or my identity stolen. When I pushed back and asked why this information was needed I received a prompt waffly response, in essence telling me if was for my own security. Unfortunately because I had already paid for the accommodation I felt trapped, and ended up providing it. It was an experience I would definitely not want to go through again. Another aspect of this property being "managed" is that you received so many instructions and "do's and don'ts". Whilst the instructions for getting in were really nice and clear, I found the extent of communications to be totally overkill. Do you really need a reminder that you are leaving tomorrow and lots of instructions on all the jobs you must do before you leave? Do you really need a message on the day telling you to message them as soon as you leave as the cleaners are ready to move in? Do you really need to have to send them a photo to prove that you have put the keys back in the lock box?