I stayed at Vanessa's apartment for nearly five weeks while taking the CELTA course (certification to teach English), and I'm pleased with my choice. Not only was it a great value, but Vanessa provided a clean, lovely, comfortable, and safe home for me to stay while I worked long hours studying and writing papers. There is a full kitchen to prepare meals and a comfy sofa with a chaise lounge. This is where I did most of my work. If you have time to sit back and chill out, the big TV provides a respite from the grind of hard work.
The location was convenient (about a 5-minute walk) to the San Donato metro and an easy ride up the yellow line to my school on Viale Brenta. There are restaurants and a couple little markets near the apartment, but I ate at home and picked up groceries on Saturdays at NaturaSi or Bio C'Bon (Lodi metro stop - yellow line). There's also a big vintage market on Sundays within walking distance by the Crowne Plaza.
The Duomo is also on the yellow line just a few stops farther from Brenta. On my last days I finally had the chance to explore this beautiful city! I highly recommend the full Duomo tour - cathedral, crypt, and roof! A quick hop on the red line to Cadorna from the Duomo for a walk through Parco Sempione to the Arco della Pace and then an aperetivo Milanese/happy hour at Deseo (not cheap but we basically ate a full meal from their free buffet for the price of an expensive drink) is a fun way to top off an evening.
I was so grateful for the air conditioning at Vanessa's apartment during the hot days (and it provides light sleepers white noise from the busy streets), and the dryer was a very nice and useful amenity. The shower - fabulous!
Communication with Vanessa was perfect as she responded to every question quickly, and she was very accommodating. She even let me use her personal printer so that I could print my documents at "home" before going to class. That was going above and beyond, and I'm incredibly grateful for her generosity. It's good to know I have a lovely place to stay should I return to Milan.