Karen’s place is close to major tourist spots; less than 30 min away by public transportation and even less if you use uber. You’ll find many eateries and stores within walking distrance, some only minutes away such as Oasis Cafe on McAllister and Divisadero (serving Eritrean and Ethiopian evening cuisine)
Brenda’s Meat and Three on Divisadero (open for breakfast, lunch and dinner), Transfer Market and Green Earth Market, sitting on the corner of McCallister and Divisadero or grab a pizza from Primos Pizza on Broderick and Divisadero. This was our first visit to San Francisco so we spent most of our time outside of the neighborhood on typical tourist excursions; I’m pretty sure you can find so many more eateries than those I mentioned. Within walking distance, at about 20 min, you’ll find the famous Haight-Ashbury District, where you will find A TON of shops, cafes and eateries. Karen provided step by step instructions for check in as well as many brochures if you want to visit it all. She hosts at least two other apartments in the building but in our time there, we only encountered her and another guest once. You will walk through the main entrance, which is secured by a digital lock, and up 2 short flights of stairs before you reach the penthouse front door. It’s a little tricky to carry any large bags up the partially spiral steps but it’s not impossible. The living room is quite comfortable and warm, with a TV, futon and lounge chair. Furnishings are a bit outdated so don’t expect a flat screen TV, plush pillows or modern seating. There is also a small dining area with a table and chairs, small refrigerator, microwave, complimentary water and popcorn. The bathroom is super clean and stocked with anything you might need for your stay, minus toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner. Hot water is ready within a minute or so. The bedroom is simple with a somewhat comfortable king size bed, 2 older chairs and bedside tables with lamps as well as some hangers for your convenient use. You can dictate how much light you want in the bedroom by adjusting the curtains according to your preference. During our visit, the weather was not too pleasant but it was WONDERFUL to hear the raindrops lightly beating just a few feet above us on the roof, a very serene way to relax. Karen responded to our messages in adequate time and was super accommodating to a personal need that I miscommunicated in our earlier messages. Would definitely recommend her 3rd floor penthouse if your looking for a clean and quiet experience!