The flat is exactly like its photos and I was very comfortable in it.

Tarek's mother met me when I arrived (Tarek was at work). She was very nice, even kindly helping me up the stairs with a piece of luggage. She gave me the keys and showed me around the place. It was really well stocked (fruit, milk, tea, coffee, soft drinks etc), which was great.

Didn't meet Tarek face to face, but he was very much in touch with me during my week-long stay, checking up on how everything was going at various points and making sure I was comfortable in the flat, which I appreciated.

The neighborhood is not very exciting, but Stalingrad metro station is conveniently located right across the road. I would advise taking sensible precautions in the area at a late and desolate hour. Otherwise, Canal St Martin is within walking distance. There's a pharmacy that's also more or less across the road, which was very useful when I hurt my knee and needed to purchase knee support.

When I was leaving, Tarek kindly offered to arrange a taxi for me and was all-in-all a great host.