The moment we pulled our suitcases down the steps at the Herne Hill station, we knew we'd lucked into a great place. Jim's place, just across the station square was exactly what we'd hoped to find - clean, quiet, pleasingly decorated, safe, and easily accessible - a little island of peace in a vibrant town.

Jim welcomed us at the door and offered us a tour of his flat and little garden, and introduced us to his cat, Effie. He walked us through the use of his induction cooktop, his television, his washer, and left lots of little helpful notes to help us find every light switch and outlet we needed.

On the day we arrived, Jim's neighborhood was upgrading to a faster Internet service. As we relied on wifi to communicate and navigate, Jim tinkered with the new system until everything was working well. Then, after leaving us some freshly baked bread and other essentials, was on his way.

Jim's place proved perfect for our needs. It was comfortable and stylish, and central in a lovely neighborhood that we wouldn't have otherwise discovered. Jim was kind to recommend some great activities and local businesses that he particularly liked, and was always quick to respond to our messages when we had questions about directions or train routes.

In short, Jim's place was perfect for our needs, and Jim was more than a generous host. Highly recommended.