Fred was very welcoming and we enjoyed our stay very much, despite the fact it rained the whole time! Not Fred's fault of course and it was actually quite pleasant listening to the rain and the people rushing past in the street below but I wish we had more chance to explore this fascinating area. The apartment is in a fantastic location, it is full of character, and I unhesitatingly recommend this as a base for anyone wanting to really experience Bordeaux. But ideally go when it isn't raining! :-) PS. No problems at all with hot water or anything - our stay was as good as we could have hoped.