Everything about this apartment was as described, except better. The photos showed the two bedrooms, plus kitchenette and dining room, but the living room and bathroom were also charming and entirely adequate for the four of us who stayed there. Cosy, everything smartly in place, details attractive; yet spacious enough for an evening sit-down to ruminate about the day.

The funky gastropub, GaGiNang, was outside our door. Around the corner was a factory-sized local food market, with hot-food service from multiple kitchens on the open-area upper floor, directly accessible from the street. A minute further down the hill is the subway stop to nearby Central, Wan Chai and Kowloon. Behind us, narrow streets criss-crossed and curved toward the waterside or along the crest of the hill, with many interesting shops and eateries clustered around the sheltered, outdoor escalator leading up to the University of Hong Kong. Each seemed dependent on the discerning attention of the locals, which made our lunch stop at a popular Taiwan eatery particularly rewarding. The Canadian in our group also stopped in at Craft Brew & Co., where he enjoyed a pint of IPA and poutine!

We did not meet our host, but she was accessible by telephone and text and responded promptly to inquiries. All her information - from orientation to tips and responses - had the familiar feeling of advice and welcome to a friend. She clearly likes her neighbourhood and walk-up apartment.

In the same spirit of friendly advice, we suggest that the four keys to the building and apartment be clearly labeled. We fumbled and fiddled with them for a couple of days before locking in, so to speak, on which key opened which door. The sliding outer door to the apartment, once unlocked, remains latched; the catch - at waist level and hard to see - must be lifted before the door will slide open.

All in all, we greatly enjoyed our four-day stay and will certainly book this space again (if available!) the next time we visit Hong Kong.