Maria's place is a dream!! My family and I stayed in her home for five days and loved every moment. The entire house is spacious and bright, with plentiful natural light. The kitchen is large and very well proportioned and equipped for preparing meals, and all the furniture and fittings are indeed elegant and modern, in excellent condition and of very high quality. The air conditioning and appliances all worked well.
We were captivated by the gardens - clearly, Maria has a wonderful instinct for design, in addition to a green thumb: the front yard is a beauitful sanctuary, with a large umbrella and outdoor furniture facing a beautiful water feature (and a barbecue); and the backyard is leafy, green and incredibly peaceful.
Speaking of peaceful - even though Maria's place is on a relatively major road, we rarely heard any of the passing traffic. Its location is an advantage, in that it is just across the road from a bus stop and a few minutes' walk to the number 67 tram terminus. The park across the road with its full size oval and outdoor gym was also incredibly convenient.
Plus, Maria's cat, Mischa, is an adorable presence in the neighbourhood! An added bonus we weren't expecting, certainly. We were also very well looked after logistically by Maria's generous and kindly friends, Leslie and Sarah.
We could not recommend Maria's place more highly and would definitely return.