15 June: Antwerp Apartment Saga

Antwerp was the only stop where a Vrienden host was not available, so I found an apartment on booking.com. Unlike hotels, apartments seldom have any reception, instead emailing entry instructions 24-48 hours prior to checkin-in. I had requested a safe indoor place to store 2 bikes, and the owner agreed.

On arrival, the check-in instruction worked, we opened the outer door, and were met by a woman in the ground-floor apartment. We had accidentally pushed a button on the keypad that rang her bell. When I said we were looking for apartment 44, she pointed upstairs, when back into her apartment, but left the door open. 

Almost immediately, a 60+year old platinum blond accompanied by 2 sketchy-looking similarly aged men, began scolding me in Dutch/Flemish (I think). One guy looked like and old alcoholic, and the other a gay man with earrings. I rolled my bike trailer into the lobby, and she went off. The only word Kevin recognized was verboten, I didn't recognize anything. When she finally paused for breath, I said, I only speak English. Eventually, she switched, to partial English, and we understood that the trailer case and bikes could stay in the lobby, they were worried about us making marks on the white stair walls. Kevin opted for an outside bike rack with his dual locking system, I parked my bike and trailer in the lobby. 

If the ground floor is 0, then apartment 44 ended up being on level 2. Thew following 6 photos show was appears to be a stylish, modern apartment conversion in an older building shell, about a 10 minute walk south of the Antwerp main square. Positive first impression, except for the 2/3 full beer can left on the lobby stairs.

Double bed loft bedroom

Loft bedroom, shower, and double sink

Loft bathtub and closet

Entry level sofa/single bed, dining table, chair

Kitchen, sink, washing machine, refrigerator/freezer.

Huge TV, dining table, stair to the loft

But with a closer look, the defects in the conversion appeared, generally cheap materials and poor workmanship.

Kitchen counter vinyl secured by masking tape. We found 2 rolls of masking tape in the lobby hall with cleaning materials.

Hole cut in the bathroom wall, and the waste bin was sitting on the toilet.

I placed this piece of styrofoam in the hole, but it blew back out.

Nothing to keep shower water from running out onto the floor. I placed a rolled towel on the edge by the rug, which only partially helped.

Kevin ran water in one of the sinks, then discovered that water was running onto the floor and the drawer under the sink was filled with water. Not good for particle board cabinets.

The plastic drain hoses were slipped onto the sink drain without a clamp. The weight of the water was enough for the drain hose to fall off. I dried it with a towel and used the masking tape left in the hall to tape the left drain so the sink could be used.

Then a series of text messages ensued from the owner of the apartment via the booking.com web site.

May 14, 2023

Safe place to store two bicycles

Dear Larry , thank you for the reservation and looking forward to welcoming you !

May 15, 2023

Bicycles can be stored in the entrance hall

Jun 14, 2023

Dear Larry, We look forward to your stay. The code to enter is 2000 and press the bell on the same panel for the outside door, the code for the inside door is 1111 in the doorhandle, have a wonderful stay in Antwerp...

Checkin starts at 15u00.

Hereby a personal city guide : https://abnb.me/66wLFx4hRtb

WIFI : AirB&B_beuk-24Ghz

PASSWORD : W3lcome@B3uk

Best regards, Suite city center in quiet street & airco,

Jun 14, 2023

Suite 44 is yours

Jun 15, 2023

Dear Larry, the city of Antwerp collects a city tax of 3 euro a day / per person....

Thank you very much and please leave a short and kind review after your stay, if anything should arise during your stay, please contact me directly to solve this...

Larry Newman: I sent the owner 4 photos: defective sink drain, shower, and hole in bathroom wall. Owner's response below.

Jun 15, 2023

What are you doing Larry ?

Why are you removing these things?

Beautiful place but a number of problems that a renter should not have to fix. Upstair bedroom sink: I water runs, the hose drops off the sink drain. Shower: Nothing to hold water in the shower. Should have a curtain or at least a rim. Hole cut in bathroom wall, probably for plumber access but not covered. I placed piece of styrofoam in the hole. This is as we found it. I HAVE NOT removed anything. Also, the 1st floor person insisted that we cannot take a luggage case up the stairs. Cases must stay in the lobby. No bike parking area. She says it can stay in the lobby. Makes it pretty crowded.

? Shower had a drain and water drains towards it we dont want a curtain..no need to remove the drawers...the styrofoam was in place...I placed it there....you have asked for a place for 2 bikes, which I said could stay in the entrance on the 15 th of may...your luggage can be taken to the suite, which cases ?

We have place for 2 bikes, no more and no less...so make sure the entrance stays accessible, thank you

The styrofoam was not placed in the wall. I replaced it. Fine on the shower but it could lead to water on the floor. Not my issue. You might also want to check the kitchen drawer bottom We have not need to use it so not an issue for us. I will leave the case in the lobby and also the bikes. Not sure if other residents would object to them in the lobby.

Not trying to find fault. Does the woman on the 1st floor manage the apartment/building for you?

Ok I will send it to the cleaning lady to fix the issues

No cleaning lady does not live there....only guests

Very clean. Found some masking tape in the hall way so used that to tape the left side of sink drain. Not a permanent repair.

Just make sure everything stays accessible, two bikes and cases will be plenty...I am afraid

See that is fits

OK on the cleaning lady. However the "resident" in the round floor apartment was quit belligerent on was we could do.

Sorry but am boarding my flight in croatia

Yes these are guests and we have 5 different guests every day so....

The owner sent a photo of the Croatia airport check-in line.

Have a nice stay..

Safe flight! I'm an engineer so can fix items sufficiently to work. If I owned the apartment, I would want to know about any issues before the damage is costly.

Delivered

Thanks for the input Larry and we do the necessarry...guests just before you rated it 10, we will make the suggested things and now I am going to have a nice cold beer, I suggest you do the same over there😃

Summary

We never saw or heard from the 1st floor bitch and have no idea if she had any relationship with the owner other than to be another renter. I gave Kevin the double bed loft as it was his birthday. We could never get the expression machine to work, probably and operator error. Never heard from the owner, but he clearly was hoping for a 10 rating.