As someone relocating from the UK to the Bay Area, I wanted to stay somewhere in the city for a couple of months to judge whether I really wanted to live there and if the commute was okay, or if I wanted to live somewhere closer to work in the mid peninsula.

Although ultimately I've decided to move elsewhere, my experience at Guillaume's apartment in SoMA was really positive. As Guillaume splits his time between France and the US, he wasn't there to greet me personally, but his neighbours Derrick and Brian were on hand initially and throughout my stay to assist with any questions or issues.

The apartment itself is bigger than I expected, with two good bedrooms, an en-suite bathroom in the master bedroom, a separate shower room (all on the bottom floor of the apartment), then an open plan living, dining and cooking area, with a balcony off the living room, plus a WC (on the middle floor). Going one level up, there's a beautiful roof terrace, with loungers and a large picnic table. Particularly if you're there in the summer, you could spend a lot of time lounging on the roof terrace.

In terms of area, the 8th & Mission area in which the apartment is situated is convenient for downtown & Bart, and about a 20 minute (brisk) walk to the Caltrain station (if you're heading further south out of the city). Don't be surprised if you see a few homeless people around the area, but that's SF for you! Of note is that there's a reasonable sized grocery store literally two minutes walk from the apartment on 8th, which has most things you'd need, including fresh fruit and vegetables (and beer).

I really enjoyed my time at Guillaume's SF apartment, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for anyone staying for a longer period in San Francisco.