Elena's cottage was exactly as described - cozy, clean, and very comfortable. Situated in a great location/neighborhood too, a few minutes walk away from Sawtelle (great food). I had worried that the parking situation would be very poor since I was renting a car during my stay, but there was plenty of street parking nearby. Moreover, the neighbors were all very friendly, the neighborhood felt very safe, and it was always quiet except for the construction that was going on across the street during weekday afternoons.

We stayed at Elena's place for five nights and it was a wonderful experience, no complaints whatsoever, except perhaps for the creaky front door! She definitely made me and my partner feel very welcome, and prepared clean bedding and towels for us to use. She even provided fresh lily flowers inside of the house to welcome us!

We were worried about our privacy at first because it seemed like the bedroom was visible from the outside window, but when we inspected it closer we realized that someone would have to make a tremendous and noticeable effort to see inside due to the window's positioning behind many plants. While it may not have been the most spacious of living arrangements, it was very comfortable and suitable for the two of us during our stay. Also, the backyard area had more than enough space for us if we ever felt cramped up (which we didn't).

Elena was kind enough to allow her to use her kitchenware and cook with it! We mistakenly broke some measuring instruments and reimbursed her with a replacement, but it was a kind and welcoming gesture that we truly appreciated (it definitely saved us some money!). A fair warning (those of you who have lived in somewhat smaller apartments will already be familiar with this) - the smoke detectors are very sensitive and are in close proximity to the kitchen, so watch your cooking heat to make sure nothing is smoking/burning! We learned our lesson the hard way.

Everything was very sanitary. It was very hot some of the time (it's LA!), and the air conditioning and fans were a godsend against the heat, though we made sure not to use them unnecessarily.

If there was one downside, it would be that the walls were a bit thin by the bedroom. We could hear the people in the next door living room conversing sometimes (extremely muffled, but you could tell some type of talking was going on), or if they were heavily moving about (stomps on the floor, quick footsteps). We didn't mind though!

Really, we thought it was too good to be true at first, but Elena's cottage exceeded our best expectations! Overall, it was a great 10/10 experience! I wouldn't think twice about contacting Elena again if I was visiting. Thanks for being such a great host, Elena! We wish you the best!