I had a reasonably good stay at Mara's lovely home a few weeks ago. Her house is in a relatively quiet, typical North London neighbourhood with fantastic access to bus stops (only a 3-5 minute walk away; doable even with luggage). While it wasn't exactly the kind of open and welcoming home I'm used to staying at when booking through Airbnb, it was reasonably clean, well-situated, and with a host that really made an effort. Mara also has two adorable dogs. She was honest about her boundaries as this is technically her home, which I appreciated and respected.
At first glance, it was like Mara had thought of virtually everything -- a small breakfast was made available in the room (she was so kind as to cater to a vegan breakfast too! Such a happy surprise). She explained that the water at the house was too soft and had made arrangements to provide separate drinking water for her guests (another kindness I wasn't expecting). Basic toiletries such as shampoo and body wash were available, as well as a hairdryer and sanitiser in the bedroom. The bathroom was shared with one other guest. Mara was very specific about wearing a face mask in the house (though this was sometimes more of a one-sided thing) and I appreciated that there were some rules about Covid safety as cases were on the rise.
After a long journey getting to her home, it was a bit of a nightmare trying to lug my suitcase up two flights of stairs to the attic (the stairs are carpeted and get precariously narrower as you go up, so it can be quite slippery), but we got there in one piece in the end! If you're like me and have allergies or a sensitive nose, I would point out that on the first day, within an hour of arriving I found myself sneezing quite a bit -- there was room freshener and a strong fragrance on the sheets -- but all one needed to do was move the fragrance diffuser away from the bed and move the pillows, and I was feeling better within hours. The attic room has a lot of beautiful light and several skylight windows. Unfortunately, it was unbearably hot when I arrived there, and the open windows only let in hotter air. I think it was just bad timing on my part, but I do hope it would be possible to provide a small table-mounted fan for guests who stay during the summer.
Aside from the heat, the first night was a bit uncomfortable as there was a loud party going on next door, and the windows needed to be kept open to let in some air (hot air or not, it was stifling without open windows). I had just had a hectic week in central London and was looking forward to a quiet night's sleep, but I felt quite groggy and unrested the next morning. Breakfast was to be had in the room due to Covid safety rules, and while the bowls and mugs had small stains that needed to be washed (easily rinsed out in the bathroom sink), the breakfast was delicious -- there was toast, jam, cereal, coffee/tea, and even yoghurt. A very filling start to the day, and much appreciated!
I had to leave in a rush for a meeting and left the house soon after breakfast. I returned about 2 hours later as I'd left my suitcase open with all my stuff strewn about and wanted to pack for my flight the following night, but when I got back I was surprised to find that some of my things weren't the way I had left them. As it turned out, Mara had been by to tidy up. It was a little unexpected, as normally this isn't done for a 2-night stay (or usually, the host talks to you about it beforehand), and at first I felt confused and a little concerned about safety in terms of re-sanitising everything, as well as the inevitable nagging question of privacy. Given the kind of host Mara is though, she really does go the extra mile to provide a 5-star experience for her guests, and at the end of the day I genuinely appreciated that. She had cleared out all the breakfast stuff and had made the bed, and as I was leaving that afternoon (I opted to leave as soon as I could as it was too warm inside), she asked me if it was very hot in the room, to which of course I responded with an emphatic yes. The second night was warm again, but it was quiet and peaceful, and I got a great night's sleep in a very comfy bed. I was grateful for it as I had a late-night, long-haul flight coming up.
Mara was always kind -- she asked about my plans for the day before my impending flight, gave me some advice about where to find treats for my pets, and asked if I needed some help with booking a taxi or if I was going to take the bus. Anything I asked, she was ready to give advice and help out, and even offered to help me bring my belongings downstairs before checkout (of course I declined, but honestly, how many older hosts go that extra mile and offer to help like that!). She mentioned that she had new guests coming soon and so I checked out around the advertised 10:00 am time, and opted to leave my luggage at a friend's in central London before my 9:00 pm flight. Overall, it was a pleasant stay with the only issue being the sweltering summer heat, which I feel should be chalked down to my own timing, and could perhaps be alleviated by a small fan in the room. Mara messaged me a few times after I checked out requesting me to review my stay (which I had also discussed with her in person and