While it is tastefully decorated, there are some things you must know about this unit. The owner is usually unreachable – and at first we were directed to a completely different Bienville location – If you are instructed to pick up a key at 508-D Barracks Street, understand that this is your unit. The building requires a code to get in. It is secure and safe. The apartment is basic and uncluttered.
Do not rent this unit if you do not like to walk up three flights of steep stairs (40 steps) with luggage. There is no elevator, and the steps are oppressive. Once you get inside, you are not finished with steps. There is a narrow 15-step spiral staircase to the bedroom. This is also where the only closet is, so if your shirts or dresses are hanging, it’s your only option. You will be hauling your luggage up these narrow steps.
When we arrived, it was raining. The roof leaks in the small alcove outside the bathroom. The water was puddling on the floor. There is a bed and drawer space in the bedroom – but no bathroom. The bathroom is down the spiral staircase in the main part of the unit. If you use the bathroom in the middle of the night, you must carefully go down that metal spiral staircase in the dark. Heat also rises, and there are no windows in the bedroom, so not only is it dark – it can be very hot as well. The bedroom closet has an iron, ironing board, extra linens and blankets. The double/queen-sized bed has a comfortable firm mattress and lots of pillows.
It would be helpful if the owner would assemble a booklet with instructions. The TV is located in the main sitting area, but it is very complicated – there were five remotes sitting on a table with no clue about what they were used for. When we figured it out, there was Direct TV with hundreds of channels. The wifi instructions in the email were wrong. While there were plenty of towels and washcloths, we had to search for them. No hair dryer. The kitchen has several sized pots and enough cutlery and knives. But no coffee mugs, only 3 plates and no serving/mixing bowls or a measuring cup. There is a large Keurig, and a small 10-cup electric coffee maker however, the glass carafe for the coffee maker was missing. Luckily, we brought our own coffee maker, so we brought it in from our trunk.