We absolutely loved our stay with Jean and Fred! We felt right at home in her beautiful house which looked exactly as it was shown in the pictures. Jean provided us with some snacks and basic amenities, and we also had full access to the kitchen. This was super helpful since I had the chance to test out my cooking skills, and occasionally we shared the tasty dishes we had each prepared.
Jean also provided a travel guide which was very helpful for us to explore around Oakland. She had great suggestions for food and nighttime fun. The neighborhood was safe although we were warned to be cautious of our possessions kept in the car and outside the house (i.e. bikes). We didn't face any issues though since we kept our valuables out of sight or in the house.
We honestly only have positive things to say about our experience at Jean's. We were able to live here for the month as if it was our own home. The one thing we weren't used to though was hang drying our clothes rather than using the dryer. This wasn't a great inconvenience but for those traveling with a limited wardrobe, you may go a day or two without dry clothes.
We are so happy that we chose to stay at Jean's, and we would happily stay here again. I highly recommend this place for anyone visiting Oakland. You'll be about 20-30 min out from San Francisco (the nearest BART was a quick 10 min walk). You'll also be about 10 min from the beautiful Lake Merritt which you must visit if you have the chance. There's a lakeside path and lots of shops and good eats nearby.