I booked Peggy’s room when flight conflicts with Bay Area friend necessitated my arriving two nights before her return home. I have a small travel business, regularly putting all the ducks in a row for clients. This time *I* was the client.
Pros: Convenient, simple night accomodations.
The private room was as described on sweet little terrace, the bed was comfy, the shower, spacious. Wi-fi had strong signal.
The Grand Lake area offered many restaurant options (including The Coffee Mill, billed as Oakland’s oldest coffee house - great breakfast and a delicious Ethiopian restaurant) and historic sights all within walking distance. Film and Architecture buffs: Be sure to check out the Grand Lake Theater, a vintage movie palace built in 1929. Great fun! It was very short walk to Lake Merritt.
Also a plus was the 57 bus stop directly across the street and other bus routes were a short 4 minute walk to explore outside the neighborhood.
Cons: Check-in was unnecessarily difficult.
In May, Peggy was quick in returning my original query to one of her other offerings. We had a nice exchange and we realized my flight arrival at 6:40 PM SFO would not make her 7 PM check-in. She offered this room that was a self check-in with 9 PM deadline. I gave her all of my flight information and made necessary arrangements to arrive (via BART and Lyft) in Oakland prior to 9 PM. Night before my departure, I queried specific check-in details and was told they would be sent the day of arrival.
I had read her *very specific* house rules of no food or drink in the room and asked for my specific check-in information during my final Phoenix layover stating that I would arrive very close to the 9 PM deadline and would need to get dinner after my long flights from the East Coast. I was told the room would be unlocked and to text her when I was *in the room* (extremely tight arrival : 8:45pm ) for my door code. In my room, I texted twice and called the number provided with no answer. Finally received a response over 10 minutes later- directions on *locking* the door, but *no* code to lock it. My dinner clock was ticking. Finally sent another text that I would lock the door expecting a code in response. Was told one would be generated shortly. The long and short of this, I was unable to get *anything* to eat as all - restaurant kitchens had closed and with *no food* rule , grocery takeout was not an option. By the time I was able to leave my luggage, confident that I could get back in my room, I went to bed hungry and had to use the bathroom faucet to take my nightly medication.
A suggestion: All of above could have been eliminated had I been given precise code check-in during our last communication. No need to leave door unlocked for *anyone* to enter without code. Also I am keenly aware of California’s drought conditions and keeping the water supply available for community needs, but simply supplying a glass or allowing (recyclable) bottle or canned water would have made taking my meds easier and nothing to entice thirsty ants or cause staining.