Pros:
-Great communication, quick responses with Maria.
-Wonderful to have our own off-street parking spot behind the house.
-Spacious and thoughtfully arranged daylight basement suite, beautifully renovated and decorated.
-Well-equipped kitchen, essentials stocked in fridge, booklet with instructions and recommendations.
-Lots of room for storage, comfortable mattress, excellent water pressure in the shower, even bathrobes were provided.
-Wifi worked well.
- Really excellent value, and definitely spacious enough for 5-6 people to use as a base to explore the city.
Cons:
-Very intense smell of laundry detergent in the suite, enough to give us headaches even after airing out. The sheets and towels reeked of strong laundry detergent, beyond the normal clean smell. This can be easily remedied, and I'm sure Maria won't let it happen again, but for those sensitive to scents/perfumes, double check with her before booking.
-Quite a bit noisier than we were expecting based on the descriptor - 'foot traffic can be heard at times', we heard it, loudly, at all times other than late night/early morning. It was difficult to relax/concentrate on our work with near constant loud footsteps and a good amount of banging. Also something that could be easily remedied if Maria and others living upstairs step lighter when guests are staying in the suite.
-A little far from the main centers of the city, but an easy drive with a car and near public transit so not much of an issue.
All in all we did not have the best stay because of these cons but they are issues that could be easily remedied for future guests.