I had a wonderful stay at Carin's on my most recent food vacation to Chicago! The house was easy to find, check-in was smooth and Carin gave me a quick tour of the accommodations before I settled into the space. The private entrance and ensuite bathroom were both top tier amenities, giving me the privacy and flexibility to have a comfortable experience. I stayed in the unit by myself so it was more than enough space but 3 people could easily fit in there as well. The queen bed especially was SO COMFY; it felt like I was sleeping on a cloud!
Though the room is great in and of itself, it's the little touches that make the space feel very home-y. Lots of storage space in closets and drawers, decor reflective of Carin's Dutch roots, mini kitchen with dishware/utensils and appliances (microwave, toaster, kettle, Keurig), a little breakfast bar for your early mornings/midnight muchies (tea, coffee, cereal, oatmeal, Kind bars, etc), mini fridge stocked with waters and seltzers, rocking chairs in front of the fireplace, slippers and bathrobe in the bathroom, a bookshelf with a variety of stories to read, even a TV on a table with a rotating top so you can watch it in bed!
Carin would check in on me in the mornings to make sure I was doing ok/had everything I needed. I'm a pretty seasoned traveler to Chicago and have visited many times but she still gave me some good recs of places in the neighborhood to explore. Lakeview itself is very residential and quiet, with cute houses and restaurants nearby and it seems everyone goes crazy decorating for Halloween. The L is 10 minute walk away and there are also a few bus lines nearby as well.
The only negatives I could really think of are that since it's a basement unit, you'll hear people walking around outside and you can't really open the window blinds or else they'll be able to look directly into your room. You'll also find the occasional bug walking around and taking up residence with you as well.
I loved the flexible check-out as it let me go about my activities prior to my flight without having to worry about being all packed first thing in the morning or having to store my bags during the day. Overall I think it's probably the one of best non-hotel Airbnb experience I've had and I hope to come back if she'll have me again!