This place is probably one of the best value-for-money locations you can find in San Francisco. It is close to different bus lines which can take you anywhere, also close to the Panhandle and to the Golden Gate Park. Its area, Haight & Ashbury, should not be judged at first sight (especially if you arrive at night): you will find many homeless people, as in most of the city for housing is a very crucial issue there, but the shops, restaurants and cafés are worth a visit during the day. Moreover, this Victorian cityscape is really pretty. This leads us to Josh’s place: a grey house that looks grimmer than its neighbours from the pavement: a bit more warmth on the outside would make it more welcoming. Inside, you get the real deal of an old Victorian house, warts and all. The room 2 I stayed in is sizeable and has a separate area with a washbasin. The bed is good, the mattress comfy and there is a big armchair (a bit too limp for my taste) next to it. It can get chilly in the city so the room has a little but effective electrical heater in the fireplace. Now to the shared bathroom: old-fashioned, which is consistent with the rest of the place, with an old wooden bathtub (I did not know that existed) which falls apart as the upper edge is damaged and can slide away if you lean on it - this can be dangerous. The shower in the tub is fixed so it cannot be used to properly clean the tub after use - as the bathroom is shared, it is better if the next in the line does not have to meet your various hairs... Body wash and shampoo were available, which is a nice attention. The washbasin is old-style too with different taps for hot and cold water: it had been a while since I last saw this and this made me all the more grateful to the inventor of the single tap. The WC is OK with a sufficient stock of paper (that counts too :-). Sharing the bathroom was never an issue, the maximum waiting time was roughly 1 minute as everyone was considerate.
Upon departure it was no problem leaving my suitcase in the common area in order to enjoy the city while the room was being cleaned.
On the communication’s side, Josh reacts very fast to enquiries, e.g. when I could not find the heating. He provided detailed information on how to enter the room etc. Room for improvement: maybe some recommendations on what to see in the area.
To sum it up: not the most modern or comfy place but well located and at an attractive fare. Renovation work will be necessary soon, though. For the more adventurous Airbnb traveller...