#Room
The room is in an old Victorian walk-up apartment (1 flight of stairs), with a common toilet. It is clean and large, with a small working area and good Wifi connection. Easily able to accommodate 2 people. Bed was soft and comfortable. Although apartment is on the main street, this room faces the back, so there is little noise and I was able to sleep through.
#Location + Price
Located in a working-class neighbourhood with a strong Arab/Middle Eastern flavour, almost right on top of Edgware Road tube station and a 5-10 minute walk to Paddington (Heathrow Express, trains, tube lines). Plenty of dining options nearby, some open later. Also close is a local market, Alfies Antique Market and Little Venice. I stayed here for 4 days during a conference in London, and this was by far the most affordable listing for the accessibility. Definite value for money.
#Check-in
Process smooth and painless, with Sophie very accommodating to reasonable requests. She is working/has a life, so you should arrange the check-in time beforehand.
#Privacy
Own room, shared toilet (host, tenants, cat) and possibly common area (lighting is brighter there). Host is very hospitable, but also respects privacy and personal space if desired.
#Host
Sophie is a brilliant - both as a host and a wonderful human being - and I really enjoyed our interactions. We shared meals and conversations, and had several common interests, like art. I learnt about French-African history and she even taught me how to play the Darbuka drum. (How many AirBnB hosts do that?) I ended up looking forward to our evenings/weekend interactions at the end of the day.
#Summary
Excellent location, great price, clean apartment, but Sophie was really the star of the show here. I would definitely return if I were in London, and strongly recommend it to others.