This is a very charming rental in an excellent location. The building has a lot of character with a pleasant courtyard /garden area and is in a perfect location for exploring Charleston. It is convenient to everything, in a safe area with gated access. The unit itself is nicely decorated with a charming feel and efficient layout. The basement full bath, the shower in particular, was very nice, especially compared to other small apartments. The host (actually the host’s mother) was reasonably responsive to issues we raised with the apartment. There was no mop, vacuum, or cleansers in the apartment for our month long stay and she was able to provide those items so we could keep the unit clean while we were there.
Sadly, there are several drawbacks to this apartment.. The living area has two reasonably comfortable chairs and one terribly hard, lumpy, and uncomfortable futon sofa. The kitchen is small with a small, under-powered stove (took about 20 minutes to boil 12 ounces of water) and lighting is poor. The main floor of the unit was cold and drafty (we were there when daytime highs were in the mid 50’s and overnight lows were in the 40’s). The heat pump ran constantly trying to keep the unit at 72 degrees. The temperature was better in the lower level. Being on a main street, there was considerable traffic noise upstairs but it was quieter down stairs. The bed is in the basement which is not really a not really a bedroom. There are no windows or doors, the stairs are the only way out. The bed was a full mattress that was reasonably comfortable but far too small for us.
Of note, when we made the reservation, more than 8 months before arriving, the host told us she “just bought a queen size and will be switching it out as soon as the apartment is vacant.” Then, 2 days before checking in, she told us she , “tried to get a queen size bed in the bedroom but the area the bed is in will not allow for anything bigger.” It is seems unlikely to us that it took 8 months to discover the new mattress didn’t fit and informing us at last minute made it impossible for us to find a different rental. In any case I recommend being cautious of anything you are told outside of the published rental description.
In summary, this apartment might be a good choice for a short stay. It has charm and a great location. The drawbacks may have been less problematic for a short stay. If you need a long term rental, I’d recommend looking elsewhere.