I stayed with Helena for about 3 weeks, and it was a great experience. It really felt like getting back to the roots of what Airbnb started out as. Helena made me breakfast every morning, and often shared her meals with me. I miss our conversations about politics, art, and life. It was great getting to meet her lovely daughters when they visited on occasion. It was so important to feel like part of a community and to get insider tips about the city. Even though I was traveling alone, I never felt lonely at Helena's house. :)

While the neighborhood isn't exactly trendy or hopping, it was very nice to be RIGHT next to two major subway stations and right next to a GO train station. This made it very easy to travel around the city on public transit. There is also a large grocery store just a few minutes' walk away from the house, so this was super convenient. I also enjoyed walking about 30 minutes south to the trendy Beaches neighborhood. If you're looking for places right by the house, I can recommend Cool Runnings if you like Caribbean food and Press Coffee & Books for a cute coffee shop.

Overall, if you're looking for a safe stay with a host who really treats you like family, stay with Helena!