Our host, Cristina, was peeking out the door as our cab drove up. She hugged us warmly and was as excited as we were as she showed as around the "casita". She was clearly very happy to show us her beautiful home and to share it with us, we felt great from the first moment. Wonderful way to begin a month. During our stay we contacted Cristina several times and she immediately got back to us with great advice. She also checked up on us a couple of times just to see if we needed anything and to make sure we were happy.
The home looks exactly as photographed and described; we had looked at the photos so many times that we felt like we knew the place inside and out once we were finally there. This is a special property. It is very interesting architecturally, has a beautiful mix of modern with original stone walls and slate floors, and the furnishings are simple and functional, well thought out and homey. A perfect balance of comfort and style.
The other thing is in addition to being beautiful, the home is so well-stocked. There is an abundance of cooking and cleaning supplies, fresh linens, paper goods; everything we needed. We unpacked our bags and were home. I also appreciated the organization and efficiency of the space. Everything was easy to find and easy to keep clean.
Gracia, we felt, was the perfect neighborhood to stay in. It is a small, authentic village within a huge city. During the day it is quiet, pretty streets with small cafes and pastry shops, trendy boutiques, and plazas to sit and read. At night it comes alive with families in the squares, people strolling, eating and drinking in outdoor spaces.
It is in a great location too, about a ten minute walk to the subway and from there about seven minutes to the busier areas. After visiting other neighborhoods we were always so happy to return to quiet Gracia. Really felt like coming home.