Barrie and his family were delightful hosts. I had a long stay -- about five and a half weeks -- and while I was a bit nervous about sharing a home with people I did not know for that long, I was pleasantly surprised by their hospitality. I have just recently moved to Boston from Minnesota with the start of a new job and knew very little about living in Boston, but Barrie's family made me feel very welcome in their home, which helped minimize other stresses of moving across the country. They even invited me to join them for Thanksgiving dinner, which I really appreciated since I was so far away from home, family, and friends.

I am generally a very private person, and I felt that my privacy was respected. I had a room in the basement level of their home, neighboring two other short-term Airbnb guests, and could enter and leave the home freely through a back door. I shared a bathroom in the lowest level with the two other guests, but there were other bathrooms available in the home if needed. I am an avid cook, and while cooking utensils and pans were limited, I was able to make meals for myself as needed (and was even given a cupboard and fridge shelf to store my ingredients).

Their home is a 5-minute walk to a bus stop that will take you directly to Forest Hills station in less than 10 minutes. There is also a grocery store, Walgreens, and dollar store that is a 15-minute walk away. It is also close to Roslindale Village, where you'll find cute boutiques and Fornax Bread Company (a popular bakery). I'm a runner, and it's also easy access to the Harvard Arnold Aboretum as well as Jamaica Pond.

I highly recommend Barrie for any long-term stay.