3 bedroom apartment in Oxford

The location is an asset (being only a short walk from the city centre). It was also apparent that the apartment had been professionally cleaned, and the lighting inside was good.

Unfortunately, the overall experience was overshadowed by a number of significant issues. The biggest issue was the check-in. Before our arrival, I specifically asked whether there was anything we needed to know about the check-in process and informed the hosts that we would be arriving at around 10 p.m. Despite this, we were not told that ongoing construction works blocked the entrance, that a large "Closed" sign stood directly in front of the access gate, that the path leading to the apartment was completely unlit, narrow due to lots of old furniture and trash and hence difficult to navigate with luggage, or that the property could only be reached via a very steep external staircase. No lighting was left on to allow us to reach the apartment safely. As a result, I fell twice while trying to reach the apartment in the dark. The directions themselves were also inaccurate. Calling the host as we were not able to locate the entrance, we were repeatedly told to look for the Chinese restaurant, when the entrance gate is actually located further along, next to a textile shop. Inside the apartment, the three rooms are not as neat as seen in the pictures, and there is also a staircase, which was not mentioned. The apartment became extremely hot during our summer stay, and the rooms facing the street were noticeably noisy. There is no proper dining table, only a low coffee table, which is inconvenient if you intend to eat in the apartment. Although the apartment had clearly been cleaned, there was a persistent unpleasant smell throughout the property that did not disappear during our stay. The location is undoubtedly a positive point, but accurate information about access and the property's limitations is essential. Had these aspects been described honestly in the listing and before arrival, we could have made an informed decision.