We had a comfortable stay at Lillian’s apartment. I’m leaving a 5 star review because many aspects of our stay were amazing, but I do think there are some serious cons to this apartment too. That said, it's perfect for the right party.
Pros:
- excellent communication by host
- easy to park, with a prime secure parking spot in the basement
- very comfortable beds
- GREAT shower
- Very nice gym, pool and hot tub available for guest use.
- located very close to Skytrain
- washer/dryer in apartment
Cons
- noise: despite being on the 33rd floor, there was a lot of highway, city and Skytrain noise. It took some getting used to, though there were fans available for white noise to block some of this out.
- kitchen: very basic and was fine for heating up takeout food or making simple breakfast, but wouldn't be a kitchen I'd want to cook a full meal in.
- neighborhood: the apartment is located in a pretty borderline neighborhood. Just north and east (within 1 block of the apt), the neighborhood got really rough -- walking during the day, there was a huge homeless population, and many folks w/ mental illness and/or doing drugs. Saw discarded needles, etc. Right outside the apartment, it was a mix of folks so it felt safer, and walking toward the False Creek or toward Yaletown it was OK. We were traveling with a baby and I was glad we had a car and didn't need to walk everywhere.
Other things to note:
1. The apartment has great windows and views, with lots of natural light. In June, this also meant natural light from about 4:30 AM until 10 PM, and the window shades only shaded so much.
2. Located right next to a large Asian grocery store, which was convenient for snacks/food items.
3. Close to coffee shops and bakeries in and around Gastown, but the walk there was also sort of borderline.