Classic AirBnB experience. An extremely courteous, responsive and flexible host made the reasonable breakdowns and glitches at the apartment seem minor and unobtrusive.
Davide's apartment is located in a quiet, safe and wonderful area in London. There is a Tesco Express open till half 11 every night barely a few steps from the apartment so we did not want for anything during our stay. There are also quite a few spots for a bite around the apartment and by the canal, and even though several places were closed during the Christmas/New Year's season, we still had plenty more options for meals around. On occasion we took the beautiful 20 mins walk along the canal to Angel which is populated with stores and restaurants. There is plenty of street parking free of charge overnight in this area (in case you decide to rent a car...which is not a smart move in London).
Amenities wise Davide's apartment was fully stocked. This is a regular live-in home for Davide and his family so we felt privileged to have been let the place for a stay. Davide had a large box of organic fruits and veggies delivered to the door which was extremely nice of him. We ran into an issue with the heating and hot water a few days in. The issue was related to the building overall and not specific to the unit we were staying in. Nevertheless, Davide was instantly accessible and helped coordinate with the building management to fix the issue. What is more, he offered to refund two nights despite having solved the heating issue in one day. Did I mention the 2 bathrooms? If you are traveling with family, it is great to have 2 full bathrooms because we were ready to set out for our city wandering early without having to wait on each other for a shower.
For Muslims who would like access to a mosque, Davide's apartment is about a 5mins walk from the large Sulemaniye Mosque which was great for us to walk to easily. There is a quaint little café 'by the bridge' (literally the name and location of the place) also 5mins away which serves great breakfast fare and coffee. Lastly I would be remiss not to mention the great open space with lots of window space that lets sunlight stream into the house (pure delight in the winter) and a balcony overlooking the canal which is great for a cup of tea and a cigar at the end of the day.
My only suggestions for an improvement in the stay would be adding some extra duvets or quilts to the arsenal and some firmer pillows for people who prefer them.
I have had great stays with AirBnb when traveling with family due to flawless properties. Davide's responsibility and courtesy made this one a great experience as well despite the few glitches.
Highly recommended!
Hamza