We wanted to stay near the beaches and Colin's location was perfect for that. It was also easy to take public transit to go downtown. In Colin's beautiful house, we had a floor to ourselves, with an amazing ocean view. Sharing kitchen with the host will work quite well once you negotiate the times when you need to cook. There are a few things for guests to keep in mind: if you are travelling by foot, be ready for a steep hill; if you require a very quiet room when you sleep, use the smaller bedroom (the master bedroom is adjacent to a room with the heater / air vent and can be quite noisy). We would definitely stay again in Colin's place!