I was in Boston just for one night to visit a school and see a friend. My schedule was packed and I didn't spend much time there, but the space served my needs perfectly as a private and homey place to unwind.
Pros:
- Cool neighborhood--it was my first time in Boston, but I enjoyed seeing Allston. I wish I'd been able to spend more time there--I'll have to come back to the area once I move to Boston this fall. There were plenty of restaurants and a CVS right at the end of the block which came in handy. Some nearby thrift stores as well, although I wasn't able to go. And there were stops for both the train and the bus right outside the door.
- Comfortable bed--the mattress was VERY firm so I was worried because I also have back problems, but it was actually great, and the bedding was unbelievably soft!
- Clean--I've yet to stay in an unclean Airbnb but I've heard horror stories. The place was definitely clean & tidy, no problems there.
- Good host--Saudiyah was friendly and responded to my messages quickly. While I didn't have any problems or questions, I felt like I could have easily reached her if needed.
Cons:
- Noisy neighbors--I'm not personally bothered by that at all, but the neighbors could be heard loudly talking, laughing, etc. past 10PM on a Sunday night.
- No shampoo or soap--This is stated in the list of amenities on the Airbnb listing so I wasn't surprised, and like I said there's a CVS right at the end of the block.
- Inflexible check-in time--While of course the host has every right to set the check-in time whenever they'd like, I had hoped for even just 30 minutes earlier, but unfortunately wasn't able to. This might be different depending on the day and the host's availability.
The pros more than outweighed the cons, which were unimportant or otherwise out of Saudiyah's control. I'd recommend it to someone looking for somewhere cozier than a hotel.