I arrived in the late afternoon, and once inside was greeted with muted lighting and lovely art. My room was beautiful, and was cleverly designed with indirect lighting throughout, which I find soothing and relaxing. The Williamsburg Bridge is at the end of the block, and though I heard it, I wasn't ever bothered by traffic or subway noise. Being a block from Bedford Ave meant lots of cool restos, stores, and cafes close by. Samantha was wonderfully communicative about the house, comings and goings, etc. My only hitch was that she seemed surprised I wanted to make meals in the kitchen, and that left me initially feeling self-conscious about using it. But once we established communication about it, balancing our needs, it worked out well.