We stayed at Upfront for 3 days in early June, and everything was exactly as described. Because we arrived late at night and were busy during the day, we never actually had any interaction with Michael or anyone on his staff, but the self check-in and out directions were easy and clear. I really liked that there was no awkward coordinating arrival times: we simply showed up, typed in the door codes provided in the itinerary, and let ourselves in. Indoor accommodations are clean, attractive, and relatively spartan; it's not a luxury experience, but it isn't supposed to be for the price. The outdoor space--at least three levels of decks, abundant flowering plants, and seating for guests---is really lovely. And the location is perfect. Its in a safe, mostly residential neighborhood just a couple blocks from both Little Italy and Balboa park, and only 20 minutes walk from downtown. The only potential issue is that, as other reviews also note, it's right under the airport flight path. Expect fairly loud roaring from planes overhead every 20 or so minutes. I found it pretty easy to tune out, but light sleepers might have some difficulty.