Laurie's place has character and charm, and the garden is a lovely place to enjoy coffee and breakfast. My friend and I stayed in the room with twin beds, which is on the top floor next to the shared bathroom. The space upstairs is, like most living spaces in this neighborhood, quite small.
While Laurie is formally welcoming, I felt as if I were clearly sharing her day-to-day living space. When booking here, be aware that the artsy open living space downstairs is not available in the evenings and, although open to access during the day, does not feel like a "hang out" space. We did not feel comfortable spending time in any space other than our private room and the garden.
Finally, our communication with Laurie was very confusing. I found the listing to be highly detailed yet unclear. I wanted to clarify it, but was unable to ask questions before booking, and was actually required to enter all my information in order to communicate at all and “apply” for the room. My application for the reservation was then automatically (and unexpectedly) “accepted,” paid for and subject to her cancellation rules! If you cannot clarify which room you will be booking in advance of payment, do not book here.
Warning: two days before our stay, Laurie informed us there was a mix up with double booking another guest. She offered for us to stay in a different listed room, as well as what used to be her son’s room, at first expecting us to pay a small amount for the inconvenience. When we stated we wanted to remain in the room we had booked, she heavily pressured us to wait until arrival and see what else she had to offer. She only backed off and worked it out with the other guest when we threatened to cancel our reservation.