Marlene's home is beautiful! If my trip wouldn't have been so busy, I would have enjoyed hanging out in the back patio area more - very relaxing and her plants/flowers/landscaping is gorgeous. She gave us great instructions on how to let ourselves in, which provided for flexibility since we arrived later at night. Her place was very clean as well. And, she even made an effort to say hello to me and check in to make sure everything was okay. I would highly recommend this place for anyone look for a cozy, cute place to stay in Oakland!