Maria's place is beautiful. It's full of cultural artifacts, art, and books. Her sense of design and balance is very intriguing and one could easily get lost in her museum of memories. It was helpful to have use of the kitchen and everything was clean and well stocked. Maria was very accommodating and easy to access when needed. I enjoyed the location it was within walking distance of many great shops and a short drive to all of Oakland's other hot spots. I think this place would be great for any traveler and especially travelers with a creative spirit.