Daniel was a wonderful host--friendly, knowledgeable and responsive. He contacted us well beforehand to offer directions to the house and information about keys, wi-fi and TV, and he told us about some local concerts and festivals that were going on. Whenever we asked about anything, he got back to us right away. For instance, we realized that we needed to rent a laptop short-term, and he immediately recommended a great computer place very nearby. And when our visit came to a close, he touched base again to confirm our plans and offer any help if needed.

The house was lovely--clean, airy, and well-appointed--and conveniently located, in a quiet, leafy neighborhood about a five-minute drive from downtown Asheville and from the major highways. A nice assortment of pamphlets, maps and other helpful information was on display in the living room. The wrap-around deck was a great spot on which to sit and star-gaze, or just chill.

The surrounding neighborhood was a very pleasant, hilly, woodsy area with lots of greenery. Just around the corner is the UNC Botanical Garden; we enjoyed walking its trails, talking to the ranger and visiting its very cool gift shop, which has local artisan earrings, artwork and cards, and nature-themed toys and gear.

Just down the main road from the house are some awesome farm-to-table restaurants--notably, HomeGrown (super casual, super-tasty locally sourced Southern food) and Plate (hip-casual, fantastic vegan food--I believe that it's been named one of the top ten vegetarian restaurants in the U.S.).

In short, Daniel was a great host, and this was a great place. We'd love to stay here again on our next visit to Asheville!