This place was just what I wanted, smack in the middle of the trendy areas of Dalston / Stoke Newington / Newington Green / Hackney. Short walk to the overground with regular trains, and short journeys to Shoreditch, London Bridge, Victoria, and anywhere else I needed to go, and readily available Lime bikes around the neighbourhood. Lots of places to get groceries, including the excellent Newington Green Fruit & Veg stand, and many local eateries with great options for delivery and takeaway.
Patrick was a great host, very responsive and a problem-solver. When I wrote asking about a neighbour whose cigarette smoke I could smell in the flat (not something I was sure he could really do anything about), he wrote back within half an hour letting me know where to find the air purifier, which was a tremendous help. I loved the back terrace as well, a great place to enjoy a cup of tea in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening.
This is definitely the right place to experience London like a local. If it's your first trip and you're not used to big cities, this might not be the right location for you. I wouldn't suggest this place to my parents for example, they'd keep accidentally going to Dalston Kingsland station when they meant to go to Dalston Junction or get lost on the winding side streets. But if you're used to using Citymapper and other navigation apps, you're looking for the authentic experience, and you know that East London is an area you want to explore for its pop-up shops, bars, and restaurants, this place is the perfect home base from which to do that, on a quiet residential street but 5 minutes walk from bustling nightlife, and a great value.