We stayed at Ranina's apartment in Athens for two days, and it was a wonderful experience. We were meant to stay for 4 days, but our travel plans got all messed up and our stay was cut a little short. Ranina was very flexible and accommodating for the shift.

The apartment is as-pictured. Very comfortable, homey, clean, and well-stocked with the essentials. There were also assorted homemade marmalades in the fridge, as a delicious bonus. It feels like a place where people live, which is what we were hoping for -- not a sterile hotel environment. We felt comfortable there.

Because of our travel shift, Ranina couldn't meet us when we arrived, but her boyfriend Dimitris was there. He was very friendly and gave us excellent restaurant recommendations. He spent lots of his time with us, talking about Athens and the neighborhood, drawing on our map, giving us helpful advice. We felt like we had our bearings by the time he left.

The neighborhood is in a very convenient location -- the metro is close, Monastiraki is close, and the Acropolis is a quick jaunt as well. We also had one of our favorite meals in Athens within a block of the apartment. Areas of the neighborhood itself might be considered a little rough, but it doesn't feel unsafe.

All in all, we really enjoyed our stay. I'd definitely recommend staying at Ranina's place.