This place is perfect! We were a family of 4 staying here. 2 adults, a 6 year old and a 2 year old.
Apartment Itself: The apartment had everything you would need if you were staying in to cook, but just barely. It has 4 place settings, so you'll have to wash dishes each time you use any. The fridge was great- large and worked well. There was an electric kettle to boil water for tea or coffee. The kitchen/living area is TINY. Be aware. This is not the type of place you just hang out in and have a meal. But why would you? You're in Montreal!
The bathroom was small, with only a shower and not much room to do anything else in there. Small even to get ready in, if you need room for makeup and things like that. But the shower was nice (a little damage on ceiling from humidity but many places have that), water pressure was great, and shampoo was provided. The towels were very nice quality.
The bedrooms were spacious and comfortable. There was some noise from the street, but not much. Not enough to bother our kids or keep me up. The bedrooms face the back alley instead of the main street, so that helps with the noise level. The beds were comfortable; not too hard, not too soft. The sheets were a little weird- just the fitted sheet and a comforter, no top sheet. Maybe the cleaner forgot to put it on? Maybe it's a cultural thing? Who knows. But there was plenty of space for the bed, the night table, the dresser (with both shelves AND hangers!), and some extra room left over to store luggage. One of the rooms even had a desk in it.
The front room has a futon, but according to my husband who slept on it one night, it was not comfortable at all. My 6 year old, though, slept just fine. When the futon is folded out, however, there is really no room in that front room for much else. The TV is right on the wall opposite the futon, so if you want to watch TV, you'll have to fold it back up. But again, why are you inside watching TV??
The only thing that I will caution anyone against is the stairs leading up to it. I would not recommend this place for older people. The stairs are steep and the door is VERY heavy. Standing on the top stair, where there is no landing, and trying to push open that door is very precarious. That is absolutely nothing to do with Shyva or anything- just the way a lot of these places are. But please be careful!
Overall, the place itself was great for a short stay for our small family. If you had older kids, or were staying a week or more, you might need a place with a bit more room.
Location: The location was amazing. Street parking right out front (paid) for unloading and loading luggage (we easily found spots on the street at all times of day). There is a parking garage right around the corner, too, that was very affordable.
Walking distance to many places. I even walked from Marche Jean-Talon, though I wouldn't recommend that on a hot day :)
There are some great restaurants and cafes right within a 5 minute walk, and nice parks in the same radius. We got food and had some nice picnics. It's a really local-friendly area, with not many tourists, so be prepared to use your French.
The metro station is a couple minute walk away, too, to get you wherever you need to go. And Old Town Montreal is an easy walk, as well.
Overall, we had a wonderful time and I would definitely recommend this place. We had a question about the laundry (which is right outside the apartment) and Shyva answered right away. All communication and directions were clear and easy to follow. Thanks for a great time!