Colette was the ultimate gracious and attentive host. This renovated carriage house turned cottage is a gem in a beautifully gardened, private backyard on a quiet residential street lined with pastel, stucco single family homes. The cottage has shower, bathroom, kitchenette, TV and an incredibly comfortable sofa bed. Self-sufficient and private. Everything just right. The location is terrific. I was there for my niece's Mills College commencement. The landscaped 160 acre Mills campus is a short walk away, up and down some rolling Bay Area hills with fantastic views at the top of each short rise in the road. For anyone wondering how I can be so effusive about East Oakland, stop wondering. This neighborhood of charming, owner occupied hillside bungalows (Maxwell Park) is an urban oasis with unique character, possibly influenced by its proximity to Mills. What San Fran is to Manhattan, Oakland is to Brooklyn (but Brooklyn before it was discovered and overrun by hipsters with crazy money to spend). Colette knows her beloved Oakland well, and even provides her own handy guidebook in the cottage with google map directions and descriptions of many local places for dining and sightseeing. A real delight. Thank you Colette!