This was my family's first experience with AirBnB and I'm afraid I am now spoiled for all others. First of all, Julie's space is amazing for a family or a large group of friends. The townhome is incredibly inviting from the exterior to the moment you open the door. There's enough room for everyone to have their own space, but the communal areas of the living room, kitchen/dining are great to hang out in groups. There's even an outdoor private sitting area, as well as a fire pit outside the gated area.
Check-in was amazingly simple and Julie could not have been a more accommodating host, even though we never once met face to face.
As for the location, it was perfect for us. At most times of the day, you are 15-20 minutes away from whatever you want to see or do in Nashville.
The townhome is a couple of blocks off a main thoroughfare and right across the street from a church. It's also in a part of Nashville that you can see is reinventing itself, much like east Nashville did several years back. There are some beautifully restored homes as well as some that are in a more blighted state. The main street you take to the property might be off-putting to some, as it's less cookie-cutter strip malls and national chains, and more local flavor (tattoo parlors, pawn shops, auto repair and such). That said, we walked the several blocks to the Red Bicycle Coffee Shop and never once felt unsafe.
There are several excellent local restaurants within quick driving distance (if you're coming to Nashville to eat at chain restaurants, I truly feel sorry for you), a nice Kroger grocery store just a short 5 minute drive away, and a Walgreens even closer. We didn't go, but the Nashville Zoo is only 5 minutes away as well.
In short, this is a fantastic property. If we make last minute plans to go to Nashville again and it's not available (highly likely...we understand how lucky we were), I will be depressed.
Thanks again to Julie for her help in guiding us through our first time AirBnB experience!