Irv & Shelly's home was so much more than expected! The basement apartment has a private entrance, is spacious, and immaculate. For a basement apartment, we felt as though it had plenty of light. The appliances are top-of-the-line and the bed (we only used the very back bed) is comfy - which is hard to find when staying away from home! The rooms have some storage in them for your things as well. Irv & Shelly left a detailed list of things to know about the apartment, so all of our questions were answered before we were even asked! There was fresh fruit in the refrigerator, and the bathroom had toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. The apartment is in the bottom of their home, so we could hear them walking around, but we expected that! The mornings and evenings were very quiet, and we were able to rest well. The wall-mounted flat screen television has Netflix, and we had no problems connecting our devices to the the stereo and we were able to listen to music. The kitchen has a coffee-maker (no filter needed) and some great coffee to get you going in the A.M.

We attended a concert at the UIC Center, which was VERY CLOSE to the home! We ate at the Wise Owl on the way - the burgers and tacos were the best I have ever had! We were also able to take a short walk to the blue line and ride it (6 stops) to Washington Ave., where we walked to Millennium Park. We also visited the Chicago Lit Fest while there. A few blocks from the apartment is Madison Ave., and there are several restaurants there - although you do have to walk a bit to see all of your options. A Dunkin' Donuts is also right around the corder from the apartment, so if you want some coffee or a hot breakfast, it's a great option.

Be mindful of where you park!! We did not pay attention and ended up getting a parking ticket on our last day (completely our fault - we should have paid attention to the signs). There is parking across the street on weekends and also around the corner. It is a busy metropolis, so expect to park and walk, depending on your time of arrival.

We had no problems (other than the ticket, lol), and did not need to contact Irv or Shelly for anything while we were there. Check-in and out was super easy, and we felt safe and we felt as though our privacy was respected! We plan on visiting Chicago again in the near future and Irv & Shelly's will be our go-to place!