Pros:
1) Great location in a safe neighborhood. Very close to a bunch of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, beautiful lake, and the only Trader Joe’s in Oakland.
2) Everything a long term traveler needs (almost): Bedroom without windows to get a great nights sleep, full bath, basic kitchen and living area with couch and desk. Plus the TV in the bedroom has the fancy remote that you can speak to, so no need for out of towners to endlessly flip through the guide to find the right channel. Bed is pretty comfy, closet has a decent number of hangers and there is a dresser.
3) Wifi: worked well with no problems. Especially great connection in bedroom and living area, less so in kitchen which hopefully is not a problem.
4) Private, keyless entrance: This is just nice to have. The unit is connected to a larger house but it has been constructed to be closed off to the house and there is an outdoor entrance.
Cons:
1) Furnishings are very basic- good for one person who is looking for a no frills stay. Kitchen is stocked with absolute basics (2-3 pots/pans, coffee maker, oven, microwave, stove, 5-6 utensils knives, a few sets of silverware). I suggested to Laysin to purchase a few more things like sheet pans for the oven and cooking oil, so hopefully those are there for your stay.
2) Don’t expect to do laundry at the place. The other floors are occupied with AirBnB guests, and Laysin was not able to coordinate laundry with those guests for me. Bring a duffel and walk 15 minutes to Lake Merritt Laundromat, which is surprisingly pleasant.
3) Noise from overhead guests walking around can be quite bothersome. It was only a significant problem for me during high traffic hours, and when a family with kids was staying above me for a few days. If you are a light sleeper or are really bothered by the noise, I wouldn’t recommend.
4) Host communication: it’s too bad I met Laysin the day before I left, because he was very nice and responsive in person. During my stay it was harder to get in to cub with him, however he was fairly responsive before my stay and I had no problems checking in.