Helene's place had an awesome location. There were many bars and stores within walking distance. The apartment was quite clean and we even saw Helene cleaning the stove when we were there. The living room/dining room/kitchen area were quite spacious. We did not utilize it while we were staying there because we were only there for 2 days for New Years, but it seemed nice. The bedroom was a good size and the blankets were super warm and cozy which was important because it was like -10 degrees when we were there.
Helene is a good host. She answered our communication promptly and was available when we had questions as she lives downstairs. She is very friendly and we had some lengthy conversations and got to learn more about Canadian culture which is why we stay in Airbnbs in the first place! We felt badly giving it a lower rating, but we wanted to make sure future guests are aware that there is a very strong smell of cigarette smoke in the bedroom we stayed in. Helene is doing everything right regarding this problem. (Which is why we don't want her to be looked upon unfavorably as a host.) She informed us prior to our arrival that she had a guest who stayed for a week who smoked and caused the room to smell like cigarettes. She also made accommodations for us when we told her that the smell was stronger than we thought, which we appreciated! However, if you have asthma or are super sensitive to cigarette smoke, it will be difficult to stay there until the smell has taken care of. Again, the apartment, the location and Helene herself were all great. It was also a super find price wise, so if the smell doesn't bother you, we would recommend staying here!