The apartment: As pictured, it was beautiful, with astonishing 6-meter ceilings and huge windows. Ground floor but with plenty of privacy, and a private entrance from the street (none of the waiting 20 minutes for slow elevators, etc.) Some cool furnishings, a small but nice kitchen, and a lovely little bathroom. Generally a terrific space with everything you need to just hang out and chill, and a good location to catch cabs and colectivos to elsewhere in the city. Also, some of Palermo's best restaurants and bars/night clubs are nearby within a 5-minute walk.

The host: Mariela was fantastic, with a wonderful gentle, kind energy. She responded to messages almost immediately, and was extremely flexible and accommodating with check-in/check-out and also when I needed to extend my stay. She lives next door, which is convenient and reassuring, but also not intrusive at all. I would highly recommend her as a host!