The apartment was technically as described, although the 'alcove' is the space under the stairs to the upstairs apartment and the back yard wasn't exactly inviting. The furniture left a lot to be desired, and given there was a heat wave while I was in San Diego, but the apartment was stifling. Communication and checking were fine, however, and there were no outright problems with the unit. In retrospect, I simply expected more of the apartment than what I got.