Barbara was an amazing host who went out of her way to make us feel welcome. She arranged for a driver to meet us at the airport, which was incredibly helpful since we did not know the city well and it was even cheaper than a taxi. Even though we showed up well before our agreed check-in time she let us store our luggage at the apartment while it was being cleaned, and we went out to see the city, returning when the apartment was ready. She gave us a map, made recommendations for sites and restaurants and was as available as much as we needed during our stay.
The apartment was cozy and very quiet. The portable wifi was invaluable to us as foreign travelers. It was sometimes difficult to use in the apartment itself but amazing out on the street. We didn't want to use our phones due to international calling costs, but having a hotspot with us at all times allowed us to stay connected using wifi on our phones and tablets.
At the end of our trip Barbara showed us how to get a taxi to the train station. Traveling in a foreign city can be daunting when you don't know people or the language, but having Barbara as a contact made the trip much easier.