Louise was a great host and the room was really cozy and comfortable. The shower is outdoors, which was actually one of our favorite things about our stay. The bedroom is a cute private cottage surrounded by a lovely garden. We did not spend that much time in the immediate neighborhood, but it seemed nice and safe. We had a rental car and parking was really easy. I highly recommend staying here, especially if you like showering outdoors like I do. There is no kitchen but that's not a big deal because there are a million good places to eat in the area. This is a very peaceful place to stay while you explore Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco.