We very much enjoyed our stay at Helen’s. The space is very private with a gated yard/garden. Great location and we felt totally safe and comfortable. The inside of the apartment was very clean when we arrived. The tv has a Roku, which is fantastic because we could watch whatever we wanted. The wifi worked great (which has not been my experience with multiple other airbnbs). There is a filtered water pitcher and the kitchen provided almost everything we needed in the way of utensils and appliances.
A few things to be aware of: the toaster oven and fridge are both very small (and there is no regular oven). Not a huge deal unless you are staying multiple weeks and planning to cook a lot (which happened to be our situation). We had to get groceries more often than we planned to since the freezer doesn’t hold much at all. But for shorter stays or for people who eat out regularly, it’s a nice kitchen. Also, the laundry is up a flight of stairs, so just be aware of that if you have accessibility needs.
The main thing I didn’t love is that there are signs all over the apartment such as “Do not use fireplace,” “Do not go upstairs,” “Do not flush wipes, etc down the toilet,” etc. I definitely understand that the host wants people to take good care of her home and follow the rules, but all these signs (some of which are in all caps) really detract from the ambiance and make the place feel less welcoming. On the plus side, though, all of the light switches and drawers are labeled, which is a really convenient and thoughtful addition from the host. Normally I have to go on a scavenger hunt through kitchen drawers to find what I need in an Airbnb, but that was not the case here since Helen has everything clearly labeled.
Also, Helen was very responsive to our messages and gave us access to laundry any time we needed it.
Overall, 5 stars. Thanks Helen!