The Black key

What looks like a former garage has been very nicely renovated and turned into a stylish and comfortable studio, with everything that is needed : a nice bathroom, kitchen, washing machine... It is very quiet and you can make it completely dark, even during the day.

Some details could be improved : the studio is quite dark even when all the lights are on (I needed light from my phone to operate the oven), although there is a washing machine there is no drying rack, the instructions for closing the window shutters are not 100% clear, I found no water in the fridge when arriving, and the tv does not seem to have any content : no antenna and nothing else. I'm sure these issues can be easily solved.

Very nice and stylish studio, with very comfortable bed and couch. The host was very kind and accomodating, she also gave nice tips about things to visit and where to eat. There were usefull things in the kitchen like some salt, oil, coffee and tea (but no cutting knife, so I advise bringing one with you). There was also a vanity set in the bathroom, with more things than I would have expected, like slippers, sewing kit and toothbrushes.

Even if the bathroom is a well seperated area from the rest of the studio, there is no door that can be closed. I think visitors should be aware of that and see if they are comfortable with this depending on who they are traveling with. The front "wall" of the studio is a very large tainted window giving onto the street, so passersby can see the inside of the appartment when it is dark outside and the lights are on inside. There are however very good blinds you can lower to have full privacy. This means that after dark visitors have to chose between privacy and keeping the only window. The windows are tainted, so it's not as much of a problem during the day. None of these downsides were dealbreakers for me and I could rent this appartement again, but I think they are usefull things to take into consideration depending of your individual preferences.

Great location of you want to get away from the tourist area and have a bit more of a local experience. Some great restaurants and bars in nearby Mesolongi square. Also supermarkets, bakeries, etc within a couple of minutes walk. Also curiously many many shoe shops. The property itself has obviously been “designed” with a very dark aesthetic which if it’s your thing is great. Lots of space and the bed was great.

I get it’s a “look” but it’s just too dark. The light only comes from one direction so by the time you’re at the bathroom end you can barely see your way. This means the lights need to be on all the time. There’s the next problem- the lights might look cool if they were setting a mood in a trendy bar but actually are pretty useless for illumination. Together with the black walls, you can give up on trying to look for something in your suitcase without using your phone as a torch. There is also no table level lighting so where ever you stand you cast a shadow over whatever your looking at. But the biggest problem is that you’re at street level. I get that the window is mirrored so people can’t see in during the day but as soon as it gets to the early evening 7pm and you turn on a light inside you become a zoo attraction. The host says you can put down the shutters but then you really feel you’re in a dungeon and who wants to live in a black cube when it’s still light outside. And to open the front door you have to wait while the shutter slowly rises. The silly thing is this could all be easily solved- just put a curtain! A black one if you must. And really- just paint the whole place white. It would be so much nicer and practical. Last complaint- nobody has Dolce Gusto capsules so the machine supplied is useless. Get a Nespresso, a Mokka or even just a filter machine!