We recently stayed at the Red Tulip chocolate factory for about a week and absolutely loved it. Our host, Raphaela, responded to our phone call from the airport to say that we had arrived with enthusiasm and she met us, as promised, at the front door. Her directions were accurate and the taxi was able to deliver us to the doorway.

Raphaela is a warm, lively, and gracious host. She lives in the building and made herself available 24/7. She brought us a hair dryer when we needed one and organized a taxi for us for our departure. She was extremely generous, bestowing on us a departing gift of a good "drop" of wine and delicious snacks!

As for the place...it was even better than we expected. While the photos were accurate, they could not capture the dramatic decor, light, and sense of space in the unit. We had all that we needed to live well for the week, from a well-stocked kitchen to a washer-dryer. The place was very quiet. We heard almost nothing from the street or building, though we were steps away from the trams on High and Chapel Streets.

The location was great for us as we wanted to explore Melbourne's neighborhoods on this visit. We loved walking the streets of Prahran, gazing into the boutiques, planning which cafes to try, and shopping at the classic Prahran Market. We were able to walk on the beach in St. Kilda, wander through Albert Park, and browse the shops on Chapel Street from the flat. We used the No. 6 tram to go to the CBD via High St and St. Kilda with ease, and even as far as Melbourne uni. We loaded our myki cards at the corner 7/11 and were able to do our banking at any number of local ATMs.

We would highly recommend this rental. As our first Airbnb experience, this place and our host, will be a hard act to follow!