Our month with Shirley was the best part of an extended four month trip. The canyon hideaway felt like home as soon as we arrived, and Shirley was the consummate airbnb host. We loved her personal attention to detail, i.e. fresh fruit, granola, and gourmet coffee provided for our first day, a comprehensive list of South Park restaurants and atractions, email updates on local events, suggestions for activities etc.

The canyon hideaway worked to perfection for us. It looks onto a tree-shaded back garden, which in turn backs onto a rugged-looking canyon. As the hideaway is at ground level, it can feel cool and welcoming even when the outside temperature hits the mid-80's. We appreciated the full kitchen, and the gas stove was a pleasant surprise, as was the gas fireplace when the nights were chilly. The hideaway really lives up to its name. It is tucked away on the far northeast side of the house, an added bonus for those seeking privacy (which we weren't!).

Location-wise, we couldn't have asked for more. Although San Diego is a typical US city (don't go without a car!), the hideaway is close to most attractions. We bought bicycles our second day there, and were able to cycle downtown (gaslamp, little italy seaport village etc.) within 10-15 minutes, to Balboa Park (zoo, museums etc.) within 20-25 minutes, Morley Field (tennis courts, outdoor swimming p;ool) within half an hour. The best beaches (Mission, Pacific, Ocean) are a twenty minute or less drive.

We could not have asked for a better host than Shirley. She was outgoing, engaging, empathetic to our needs, and always had time to chat (even with our six year old, who never stops chatting!!). And another added bonus was Shirley's adorable pooch Chumley. Shirley presented our six year old with a couple of photos of Chumley the day we left and he is still carrying them.

We've promised Shirley a return visit and invited her up to our airbnb suite in Canada.