This was objectively the most fraught experience my family and I have had as guests. The host used a local proxy, who later described herself as simply “the cleaning lady,” as our point of contact. She was unavailable at the communicated check-in time due to another client, leaving us waiting outside with luggage and car seats in the mid-August heat.The apartment was stale and quite dirty. The jute rug was full of debris, there was visible mold growth on the bathroom ceilings, a stagnant fish odor in the kitchen, and a yeasty smell in both sleeping spaces.Our greatest challenge was the oppressive heat and the host/proxy’s dismissive and condescending response. During our stay, Alpes-Maritimes was under an official Météo-France Orange Canicule warning. Indoor temperatures remained 84–89F (29–32C) with virtually no effective airflow. Opening the unscreened windows brought mosquitoes inside. The provided fans were dirty and ineffective, and repeated requests for a workable solution did not resolve the conditions.With two young children, we could not safely continue under these conditions. After trying for two nights to make the apartment work, we interrupted our six-night stay and left four nights early for our children’s safety.