Natalia's apartment is on the 2nd (third floor by US standards) in a secured building (two locked doors plus a code for the front door) with a tiny elevator. Self-check-in was easy (with Natalia buzzing us in remotely and providing us the door code via the Airbnb app and WhatsApp, so you need a data plan or wifi, but that’s pretty standard for self-check in communications). The apartment faces a relatively quiet road with a convenient 5-minute walk to the Loreto metro station (two stops to/from the central train station on one line in one direction and a few stops to/from the Duomo on another line). That large metro stop has lots of stairs and a complex layout that can be confusing until you get the hang of it, so not really suitable if you are arriving with a lot of luggage (recommend take a taxi or Uber).

The apartment has a huge bedroom with lots of storage, a nice large balcony, a bathroom with lots of storage (plus a washing machine), and a small living/dining room. The kitchen has a full-sized refrigerator but is a little cramped and comes with some kitchen basics -- plus Natalia supplied a few large bottles of water in the refrigerator. There are two grocery stores within a short walk, which makes getting necessities easy. Since we were there for two weeks, we appreciated having a microwave (which seems relatively uncommon in Italy) and a TV with HDMI input (so we could stream videos off our computer--we brought our own cable). Clearly, wifi in the apartment worked very well.

Despite many windows in every room, the apartment overall can be a little dark if you want privacy. This is because there are classrooms across the street, so one has to keep the curtains or shutters closed when school is in session. There were also some burned-out or missing light bulbs across the apartment, which made it dim at night as well (thought Natalia said she’d replace those for future renters). In contrast, the lighting in the bathroom was great, the washing machine worked well (you'll need to ask for the instructions), and drying items in the enclosed balcony area was easy since it got warm on sunny days. Like other reviewers, we did have some issues with inconsistent water temperature while showering. Because all windows faced the same direction, opening them didn't offer much in the way of cross ventilation and let in some insects (including a few mosquitos). Fortunately, the AC worked well so you really don’t need to open the windows.

The street is quiet, but the sound between apartments does carry. There was a dog that barked on the landing (on the way to/from walks), and neighbors who talk (or watch TV) at high volume--sometimes late into the night--on the other side of the bedroom wall. A special thank you to the friendly gentleman in the building who didn't speak any English but helped when one of us (and our luggage) got stuck in the elevator because the door wouldn't open at the lobby level. (We just had to press another floor, go up, and then back down.)

Overall, we had a good time in Milan and enjoyed staying at Natalia’s place.