I spent 3 nights in this room in early August 2022, with my 9 year-old daughter. In summary it was an excellent stay, but like many other guests, I'm forced to cite parking as an issue.

Of course the hosts aren't responsible for the parking circumstances in their neighborhood. But I do think that they could readily do a bit more to help their guests about it.

I'm the kind of guest who really appreciates having a lot of precise information upfront, and who will take the time to pore over that information, because then it allows me to be the efficient, low-maintenance guest that I want to be for the hosts. I value the effort and care that hosts put into preparing that kind of info; and I respond in kind with my own effort digesting that info and making sure I've looked it over carefully before "bugging" the hosts with any questions.

Boris and Susan are hosts who seem to subscribe to this view as well, and I had no problem receiving mostly or even only robotic / generic messages from them - on the contrary, all the best to them if, over time, they have become able to host this well while minimizing their need to spend time composing tailored messages to each guest. It's a win-win. They have "baked" plenty of warmth into the various ways that they convey information to their guests, and that's plenty for me, really I don't even need a single personalized message to feel warmly and adequately welcomed. If I were an airbnb host, I would strive to do the exact same thing, and to do it as well as they do it.

Which is why I find it hard to understand how come, after receiving so many guest comments citing parking as an issue, they have still not felt prompted to compile and provide some more detailed information than the below excerpts from their listing / FAQ. They already have near-perfect ratings for their property, so maybe they don't truly feel the need, or are concerned about managing info that might fall out of date, etc. But for me it's enough of an issue to dock one star from an otherwise overall excellent stay. Mind you, I gave 4 / 5 stars only because there aren't half-stars; otherwise I would have given 4.5 / 5.0.

"We do have free street parking around, but you have to look at the signs. A couple of blocks away, you’ll find signs that offer free unlimited non-resident parking after 8pm and on weekends, as well as 2-hour free parking during regular hours."
"there are paid parking lots available within walking distance"
"If you're looking for a guaranteed dedicated spot, there are inexpensive paid parking options available as well."

These are too vague. I rolled into Boston having driven overnight from Montreal, my daughter and I were both tired, it was a very hot morning, the air conditioning in my car barely keeping up, car full to the brim - we were excited to get there, but the last thing we wanted to do was circle the block 20 times trying to read small parking signs. Or trying to locate those paid lots, only to end up feeling annoyed at how much more expensive they likely are versus what I might have expected. Then, I was fairly sure I had found a spot that wouldn't get me a ticket or a tow over my multi-day stay (a mix of weekdays and weekend days): nabbed one of the very few spots along the very short Eagle Square, at the east extremity of Princeton Street - there didn't seem to be any parking signs there. But I wasn't completely sure, and that worry was on my mind during my entire stay.

Of course there's always the internet; but as an infrequent traveler, coming from outside the city / state / country, you always wonder whether you've set up your data / roaming plan correctly, whether you will end up with a bad surprise on your phone bill from even limited browsing on the first day, etc. And this kind of parking info is not always available or easy to find online to begin with.

If I were these hosts, I would list at least 3 nearby paid lots with address and breakdown of price; and I would list a few specific stretches among the very most favorable for parking (e.g. around school X or around park Y, or on such and such street). They do it for many other aspects of the stay (specific restaurants, specific attractions, specific public transit itineraries, etc), so why not for parking as well. I would also mention how much a parking violation costs. Not as advice to simply eat the fine, but just factually; because it remains that, as a guest, you might make different decisions depending on whether a violation costs $40 or $90. All with the necessary disclaimers of course ("don't cite us on this, info subject to change", that kind of thing).

I would also provide a bit of info about a few public transit pass options that are the most relevant to travelers (e.g. a 7-day pass) as well as 2-3 nearby locations where you can buy them. "You can get a 7-day pass for $22.50 from place X at corner of Y / Z, they carry other transit titles as well, please see MBTA website for more info". Boom, short and sweet, that's all you need to say and I'm sure it would make a big difference for many travelers. Of course, from a guest's perspective, these aren't the hardest things in the world to look up. But it's so nice to at least be nudged in the right direction. It would improve the experience.

As I've mentioned, the stay was otherwise excellent, I can't think of a single thing that wasn't as described in the listing or in subsequent messages from the hosts. This is an honest listing and you can trust it. Congratulations