Limehome Berlin Prenzlauer Allee - Digital Access

We had a terrible experience with Limehome in Berlin, Germany. Halfway through our 2 week rental of a one-bedroom apartment, they repeatedly attempted to force us to move into a non-equivalent, lower grade unit in a different part of the city. For context: we are long-time renters of vacation homes and have never had a problem or a complaint before. And we have 5 star ratings from our hosts. TIMELINE ARRIVAL DAY, SEPTEMBER 8 - 72 Kopenhagener Straße, Berlin, Germany where we had made reservations in March through Airbandb. 1. Check in. At three pm, we were finally given an Access Code. Nothing more; most importantly no apartment number. Email unanswered. 2. Arriving at the building at 8 pm – Limehome had been apprised of our late arrival – we found 4 identical apartments and no indication as to which was ours. Still no response to email. The Access Code let us enter the building – and we began trying the Code on each of the four apartment doors. This involved climbing literally hundreds of stairs to the apartments to try the Code we had been given. We tried repeatedly. The Code simply didn’t work and we were ultimately locked out by the system. 3. Finally, the Limehome Help Line answered. a. As to why we did not have an apartment number – they were “not sure which unit was going to be ours.” b. As to why the code didn’t work, it was the wrong code and only worked to enter the building. c. After several long pauses, we were given a correct code and apartment number. On entering it was clear the apartment had been prepared for 4 people and an infant. We were a couple. We rearranged things and settled in. EVICTION NOTICES AND HARRASSMENT On approximately SEPTEMBER 13, six days or so days after our arrival, when we were settled in our apartment with groceries and supplies – halfway through our vacation – we were told – by phone by MARCIA – there was going to be no hot water and we would have to move. We replied that we would stay without hot water – we didn’t want to move. SEPTEMBER 13 – we then received an email “due to unseen short-term defects…unable to accommodate you.” In return, they offered a non-equivalent, low grade hotel-type studio in another part of the city with no assistance for moving or recompense for the upheaval to our vacation. We again refused to move. Contact was SUZANA. They asked for our reply in writing which we supplied immediately. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 – reply from SANDRA “Hi – no worries you can stay in the suite” with a happy face emoji. MONDAY AM, SEPTEMBER 16. Approx 9 am. EDUARD calls and insists with increasing urgency that we leave. We again refuse and finally hang up. AGAIN, MONDAY AM, SEPTEMBER 16 - He then followed up with an email:” due to the closure of the property you originally booked apartment, we are unable to accommodate you…” He offered the same non-equivalent apartment in another part of the city with no assistance for moving or recompense for the upheaval to our vacation. At this tim

Cancelled my (pre paid by my employer) reservation one day before the trip after having confirmed. No explanation. WhatsApp chatbot was of no help. My colleague who was already in Berlin called to get assistance and keep the booking and they hung up on her.

Access to transport is excellent. Quality of bed, linen and kitchen equipment was good and the cleaners were excellent. Defects were: poor ventilation, no opportunity to cool effectively room even with a fan on 24/7, shabby and uncomfortable sitting furniture, and lack of ambience, there was no public space in the complex, the lobby was occupied by storage materials and a worker’s desk. Restricted to a small room it is not suitable for long stays.

Great location about 250 yards from a tram stop with frequent trams into the city center. Access is very automated - you are given key codes to access the building door and your room. Instructions are clearly presented in emails. We thought that the hotel would be in the middle of a nice neighborhood - we found cafes and pubs were fairly spread out across an area within 15 minutes walk. It was not as if the hotel is on a street where there are lots of shops and cafes, but streets that do offer that are about 5-10 minutes walk away. Shower pressure OK but not great. Bathroom was good, clean and functional. We paid for an upgrade large sized room - which worked out to an average sized room so go by the following: - regular room = small - large room = medium (normal US hotel room) There were no laundry facilities available. There is only one elevator which is relatively large (for Europe). Most of the time there was zero waiting time. Occasionally during maid service (middle of the day) waits can take longer. There is a good taxi drop off spot right in front of the hotel where they can wait and you can easily load. Beds were comfortable and soft and hard pillows were provided. There was a nice mini-kitchen with a coffee maker with provided coffee (but no milk). Overall fairly pleased with this hotel. The photos as ever make rooms seem larger than reality.