If Kiesha could win an award for hospitality, she certainly should! This is a communicative, caring and hospitable host. If ever we came across any small issues (light bulb burned out, etc) she drove right to us and took care of it. She even made us home made jambalaya and cajun egg rolls as she is a chef among other professions.
This home although older, is recently updated (new full bathrooms, kitchen). There is a security code lock on the door and surveillance cameras for added protection. There is a washer and dryer in a separate shed in the back yard off the porch as well. Each bedroom has a tv as well as very comfortable beds.
The neighbors are as eccentric as they are friendly - for the most part they keep to themselves. At any given point you can see them interacting with one another as this is a tight knit community. A convenience store lies just across the street.
The air conditioning system is a bit older, so in the heat of the summer the house takes a while to cool off - that being said, the air quality is acceptable. We have to remember this is the deep south! Avoid heating the home by using the oven if possible on days over 90 degrees. At night and in the early morning, the temperature is ideal during the summer months.
The home is located in the Upper Bywater district - some 2-3 miles from the famed French Quarter and is easily accessible by car. New Orleans is very dense and one neighborhood quickly changes from the next so we definitely recommend a car, especially at night. Simply do your research on demographics before committing to any location. For us, this location was acceptable as we did not wish to pay an exuberant amount to stay directly in the tourism areas and by staying here, we got a better taste of the 'real' NOLA. We were pleasantly surprised at everyones acceptance and friendliness.
In regards to this home, I would say overall that you get what you pay for. Keeping in mind that everyone has different ideals and needs, if you are looking for an affordable and practical place for a group of 20-something friends to make a memorable experience then this is most likely a great happy medium. If you are perhaps older, very particular, have a large budget or are looking for that 'all inclusive, family hotel' feel, then this place may not be for you - it's all about perspective. In conclusion, we will leave you with is this...we will miss the memories we made in this quaint home and it truly was an 'unexpected' Bywater experience.