We stayed at the garden studio for 10 days during the second half of April. Overall, we had a pleasant stay and we would certainly recommend the studio to a couple, preferably with a car and who does not need to cook their own food.
The good:
Silver Lake is a very nice location and it is a perfect spot to travel from to explore L.A. and beyond. From the street level above the studio flat, you can see the Hollywood Hills in the distance, including Griffith Observatory lit up at night. Coming back in the evening felt safe, and the neighbours and early-morning joggers were friendly in their greetings. The fact that the studio is on a lower level than the street made it feel quite private and secluded. We did not feel observed by the other cottage opposite the flat. The keypad to access the outside gate and the front door was very easy to use, and actually quite a brilliant idea as it saves having to worry about keys. We found the studio very clean and spacious. Depending on the time of the day it was easy to find parking right outside the property, however in the evening it was particularly difficult and often we had to park quite far. Also, on Wednesdays and Fridays either side of the road is cleaned and therefore the car needs to be moved. We found the bed extremely comfortable, which can often be a struggle when sleeping away from home. The bedding was also lovely. The internet was a bit slow, but there is cable tv. The communication from the hosts was good. We only met Tim at the end of our stay, and he was very friendly.
The not-so-good:
The listing does admittedly mention the potential for noise, so I guess we were quite unlucky that during the first few nights from when we arrived there were some loud guests in the other Airbnb studio above ours. Fortunately, we had earplugs, so that may be something to consider if staying here. It must be said that once those specific guests left, we had no more problems with noise.
Recommendations:
If you’re into vegan food, then the Little Pine restaurant is a must. It is extremely close to the studio flat and their menu offers a vast array of vegan preparations inspired by different cuisines. You need to book in advance. Also, a little bit further away along Sunset Boulevard is Sage, another great vegan resto-pub that makes the most authentic vegan pizzas we have ever tried. Divine Dips in Downtown L.A. probably has the best vegan gelato we may ever try in our lives; they even make ice cream sandwiches with gourmet cookies!