My first impression of Larry’s place was an impression of awe and delight. I live off Airbnb most months out of the year and this is absolutely, without question, one of my favorite spots. I stayed a month at Elmo’s Hideout. I selfishly want to downplay how great my stay was so it’s available for me in the future but I’ll refrain from such scarcity thinking. :) This is a great unit for a working professional, or a couple, or two friends/family members who could each reserve one of the units on the property if you’re traveling to the area. Oh where to begin…
First, inside the place. Everything is tight and dialed and clean. It feels like home. Aside from the superior cleanliness (and newer construction at the time of review), Larry’s thoughtfulness comes across in all of the amenities you’d want in a kitchen. I like to cook and it had everything I needed from pots and pans, strainers for pasta, coffee mugs, containers for left over food, cutting boards, foil, all knives/wooden spoons, kitchen towels, and more. I’ve spent more for rent on units that didn’t have many of these items. The heater situation worked well for both rooms. I could set a timer so the bedroom warms up in the morning. I appreciated the dish washing machine, the oven and the gas burners (no one has time for electronic stove tops!). And if this isn’t enough, Larry provided a nice treat basket upon arrival with chips, snacks, and oatmeal packets. But wait, there’s more… there was bags of coffee (decaf/caffeinated) if I wanted to make coffee, in addition to a coffee maker that takes pods and there was tea. And a Google Home, with a screen, for weather info and music and more. And the keyless entry was great, too. (And I didn’t even mention the short-throw wall projector with YouTube TV, Hulu, and more! Absolutely great)
Now, outside the unit. Again, Larry clearly has thought this through. There are commercial washing/dryer machines available. And, outside the unit, there are several sitting areas and a large grass area. And he has one of those nice outdoor patio fire pits that run off propane. It would be great to enjoy with guests on a warm or cool night. Great ambiance. It was easy to use when I used it (I suggest letting it cool down before putting the cover back on). There’s a private parking spot as well as a gated fence for security of the car. Other Airbnb units I’ve stayed at have you parking in a long driveway and playing “musical chairs” with cars to deal with Pasadena’s overnight parking laws. Not an issue at Larry’s place.
And then, there’s the location, relative to downtown Pasadena. I walked most days to downtown Pasadena which was one of the main attractions of this place. Within ~1-2.5 miles are about half a dozen boutique coffee shops that are great to work from. Copa Vida (preferred), Intelligentsia, Vroman’s bookstore + Coffee Roaster, Phil’s Coffee, Lavender & Honey, and then Jameson Brown Coffee Roasters was a short drive. There’s multiple options of every food genre you could imagine: Thai, Indian food, Ramen, modern bars, music venues, movie theater spots, and more. I walked 2 to 6 miles a day several days out of the week and really enjoyed the convenience of this location. Safety was never a concern, I walked from early morning to late at night.
And then there’s Larry, the kind, thoughtful person behind all of this. He’s the first host who asked about my checkout and if I needed any help out. This isn’t solely a money making opportunity for him where he does the least amount as possible. Based off my descriptions above, he clearly goes above and beyond to ensure you enjoy your stay. A travel photographer himself, he’s “been around the block” and stayed at many Airbnbs which gives him insights into what his guests may want. He also has beautiful photos from places he’s been around the world and has absolutely gorgeous canvas prints throughout Elmo’s Hideout to prove it (Instagram @larrystravelsgram). The host is not just a host to me, I look for descriptions and reviews that speak to the humanity of the host. I was grateful for Larry’s compassion and understanding (and empathy) for a mistake I made during my stay. While I rectified the situation to the best of my ability, I don’t want a host who is only interested in money, who takes, who lacks empathy, who has only self-interest. I want a host who is understanding, kind, empathetic, thoughtful and hospitable. That’s who Larry is.