The California Building in New Orleans, Louisiana

“Our group had 2 different units with drastically different experiences at the California Building. We experienced two extremely disruptive nights during our stay. On the first night, a loud fight broke out in the hallway around 2 a.m. The guests in the neighboring unit repeatedly pounded on our door, mistaking it for theirs. Multiple residents called the building manager and police; officers didn’t arrive until after 6 a.m., and the guests were removed around 7 a.m. The noise was so loud it sounded like it was inside our unit. The following night, a large group of teenagers staying in the building ran through the halls around 4 a.m., yelling and causing disturbances. The night guard said many guests had reported it and that police had been contacted. Each morning the front desk apologized and said both groups had been evicted, but offered little additional information. They also stated they couldn’t assist further because the unit was booked through Airbnb, even though listed as host.”

“Good - Location, lots to do, big space Bad - Overpriced for what it was. Additional fees for early check-in ($100) and parking ($45/day). Not as clean as preferred. Bathrooms had mold”

“The apartment in the California Building was standard with all the key elements you need and no flare. We were in town for both weekends of JazzFest (11 days) and I needed a place to work. Our place had everything we needed. The major problem was we never got any check-in instructions and the phone numbers available through AirBnB did not work. Fortunately AirBnB customer service got it sorted out after a an anxious half hour at the airport not knowing whether we had a place to stay. The best thing about it was the location. We were just blocks from the French Quarter and trolley and bus lines that got us everywhere we needed to go. We downloaded the RTA app and for $15 got unlimited rides with an ability to plan trips with detailed instructions on where to walk and where we'd be dropped off. It saved us from using Ubers as extensively as we normally do and was an exceptionally pleasant way to navigate New Orleans - one of our favorite cities.”

“If you dont sleep this is the place for you. Blinds that dont shut out light and paper thin windows that allow you to hear conversations from the street below. Very sterile environment. No wall decor. The shower in the main bedroom allows water to go everywhere. Furniture very cheap. Constantly hitting our toes or knees on the metal bed frame. We had to pay extra to check in early and had to use a different card from the one on file with air bnb and it was hacked. Closed account and Could not use this card. Was not worth what we paid.”

“A very good location just a ten minute walk from key locations. The apartment was incredibly spacious and clean. Check in could have been clearer. Early instructions it suggests 'Entry code: ' and is blank. We messaged and waited for over half an hour before realising later on in the instructions that you need to check in at reception. I clearly should have read the instructions all the way through, but they weren't as clear as they should be.”