From the outside, the cabin was pristine and perfect in every way.
The windows, the paint, even the landscape around the long winding driveway, it all was so picturesque. Once we stepped inside, things were different. The website had not posted many pictures of the interior of the cabin, and now we saw why! It was not dirty, but it was shabby, and it smelled moldy. Always be super careful about your AirBnB rentals, people, or you can end up stuck in a dump like this cabin! When we went to turn on the central air conditioner, the smell only got worse. We came to learn that the cabin itself was quite clean, but the ductwork for that old, grimey air conditioner was the problem. Apparently the owners were only concerned about appearances, because once I removed the grate off one of the air vents, I saw how horrifically dirty the ductwork had gotten. These people had obviously never cleaned out the air ducts once, and there was a thick coating of dust and detritus all through the system. In general, ductwork in an HVAC system needs to be cleaned out every two to three years at least. I called up the rental agent to complain, and demanded a full refund. There would not be time for a cleaning of the air ductwork, and I felt it was unsafe for us to stay there for the weekend. I wanted a refund so I could check us into a nice motel with a nice, clean air conditioner, and start enjoying our weekend.