Cindy’s place is unique and quirky, in a very good way. Her husband was a sculptor and concrete guy, which explains the beautiful exterior and the arches in the garden. Didn’t spend any time on the patio (looks like hardly anyone does), but it’s a sight for sore eyes after pounding the concrete jungle all day. You enter through a garage filled with what looks like stage craft/set designs. The bed is comfortable, though low. There’s a small desk if you need to work, and a reading chair for her vast trove of books. The bathroom is cozy/tight. The shower is not as pretty as the rest of the studio but nice shampoo & body wash makes up for it. There’s a keurig coffee maker and microwave, but otherwise no cooking or utensils.
I think people should be aware of the neighborhood. Cindy has a long treatise on the homeless situation in her info binder for a reason. Homelessness and drug addiction are rampant in the SOMA area and some of the street folks are aggressive. Some streets, such as 6th, should be avoided by women walking alone, especially at night! You will encounter many homeless regardless of where you walk.
The other thing to remember is, having a car can be a liability. I needed one for this trip but finding a garage or parking lot is a pain. All are very expensive and most have NO in/out privileges. The closest garage near the studio is closed on weekends. It may be worth risking the parking tickets (!) although you are also risking vandalism, which is apparently commonplace due to issues discussed above. I wish BART stations were closer. I ended up using Uber after stashing the car.
There are a few decent places to eat (mostly Asian) and one excellent coffee house (Sightglass Coffee) but most are what I would consider “neighborhood joints,” not the type foodies would care for.
All in all, a good value and better than surrounding hotels— if you are good with the the issues in the neighborhood!