Staying with Helen was a great introduction to both Airbnb and international travel for me. It was a good mix of privacy (own bedroom/bathroom) and companionship over breakfast. The location is close to a Skytrain stop into downtown -- I'm glad I saw downtown, but as soon as I did, I was glad to be staying someplace much quieter!

My favorite stops within walking distance of Helen's place, all on or close to Main Street, were Bloedel Conservatory/Queen Elizabeth Park, The Regional Assembly of Text, and Caffe Rustico. The neighborhood does have restrictions on on-street parking, so Helen has a carport for guests to park in -- for bigger cars, it is a bit narrow.

The room comes stocked with maps and other travel literature, and the wireless Internet is great for last-minute research. Of course, talking with Helen was very informative as well.

I was impressed with Gypsy the dog's good behavior. It's a lot to ask of a dog (not to mention many humans) to have an unfamiliar person in the house, but Gypsy was calm even when Helen was out.