I’ve traveled a lot and hands down Alfie and his son are the nicest hosts. They were right there to greet us. I almost thought I was delirious from our long drive (moving across the country taking a scenic route) because they were so friendly. If I lived in LA I would hope to hang out with them, they’re my kind of sage and friendly people. Other reviewers commented on wanting to have a subtle checkin…if you’re new to AirBNB, use the filter feature to find self check in spots. Some hosts want to meet their guests because…well do you want strangers tromping around your property without meeting them? I think it’s totally reasonable, and in this particular case extremely pleasant.
The awesome:
Besides meeting those two cool cats….
Unforgettable view, especially at sunset. In the summer (we were there in July) the cool, albeit loud, AC and cozy bed provided comfortable relief. And on our travel, it was nice having access to a kitchen that had a fridge big enough for our food. We had all the amenities we could need or ask for, including a tv with Netflix. The reliable WiFi service was convenient for me since I work remotely. And the water in the shower felt awesome, I’m pretty sure it must be filtered or softened to feel that good. Much of the interior felt new, especially the bathroom and kitchen. Safety in the city was awesome which made us feel comfortable leaving our car parked with a lot of stuff in it. The location is close enough to most sights that it’s a short 20-45min drive away, keeping in mind that LA has its crazy unavoidable traffic.
Oh and parrots. There are actually parrots that just hang out. *swoon*
The less awesome:
Road warriors with a tailgate be aware! The location is up a decently steep hill, so much so that our tail end scraped every time we left and came back. Our Subaru station wagon still made it up like a champ, but lesser vehicles or tires might make the ascent tricky.
As noted in previous reviews, the bathroom is small so larger folks may have a hard time. If you are tall, wide, or clumsy, you might want to shoot Alfie a message about your concern. I’m 5ft tall and had no problem in the shower, but I clumsily knocked my head on the door knob every time I used the bathroom. My boyfriend (5’ 9”) didn’t have the same issue, I’m just awkward.
Another previous review mentioned the noise. Yup, it’s a camper, so all of its electrical components are attached and the A/C and heater are no different. I like sleeping with background noise so that wasn’t an issue for me but sensitive sleepers might not like it.
Last, and I hate to mention but being transparent here, there were some ants that came in overnight on the first night. I sent Alfie a message straight away and he went above and beyond to remedy it immediately. I didn’t see a hint of those (or any) creatures for the rest of the trip.
The neutral:
This isn’t a hotel, so don’t expect it to be. Road warriors will love this *experience* and it really is a unique experience. If you’ve never been camping and you don’t love small spaces or the outdoors, this isn’t for you. But if you like adventure and day dreaming, you likely can’t find much better at an unbeatable price.