Twice a day for a decade I'd pass this Parisian/Art Deco apartment building and wonder what it would be like inside. Glad I got the chance. It's an old building with an apartment that the owners decided to make an investment property with a big trip to IKEA. It shows its wear but has some charm.
Pros
The only thing I can possibly add about the great location is that you are near two of the best bookstores in the area, Pegasus and East Bay Booksellers.
I am a vegetarian and like to steam some vegetables when I travel so I appreciated having decent cookware and not some mismatched thrift store ensemble.
You won’t run out of hot water showering and the high ceilings and lack of kitsch make the rental feel uncluttered.
Owner was responsive when I needed an iron and ironing board to iron workshirts (it’s in an upstairs closet)
Cons
Clean but could be cleaner. I found lots of hair around. On the bathroom floor, on the rug, in the dresser drawer and the centerpiece of the home, the IKEA sofa, had pet and human hair as well as so many strange stains I didn’t want to sit on it. Like lots of starter sofas, it just isn’t up to the wear and tear of a rental.
Take it out of the 4 star location and it is a 2.5 star rental. Not a place you want to lounge, have coffee and read in the morning or return to at night to cook and watch a movie, but a great launching point.