Ariel's place is an absolute gem in Oakland. SO CONVENIENTLY close to Bart! 10 minutes and you're in downtown SF. There are some houseless people around, but honestly they are friendlier than in SF and we were very comfortable and felt very safe walking around, even at night. Also, there were sheep around the corner. SHEEP! The local Mandela grocery store is a cool little co-op with healthy options, but also very pricey. The apartment itself is pretty small, but you have all the basic needs met for some light/simple cooking. But there's PLENTY of drawer and closet space, tons of cozy blankets, and a space heater that really kept the whole place warm and comfortable. There's a lot of neat decor and interesting books as well that made us feel very at home. The apartment is located in a larger Victorian house, and almost had a dorm feel as there are three other rooms she rents out and a communal kitchen/living room for the rooms without a kitchen. Other than that, Ariel was extremely fast at responding and made the check-in process very easy. She also has a very cute dog. Thanks so much for a wonderful stay!