Ben's studio was beyond adorable. Check-in was so easy. Ben happened to be in the yard when we came by, so we got to say hello and put a face to the names, but other than that our stay was utterly quiet, private, and cozy. Plus: he was friendly, and super responsive to every question I had.

The apartment is fabulous, beautifully appointed. There's no trickery in the photos—it's exactly as cute as it looks. I have no idea what witchcraft he worked on the bed, but it's phenomenal—everything from the fluffy pillowtop to the luxurious sheets were maximally comfy and made our bed at home look like an army-issue cot. Plus: as if the bathtub and pebble-bottomed rainfall shower weren't enough, Ben had the bathroom stocked with soft fleecy bathrobes. I might have taken my morning coffee on the porch in one of those robes.

The neighborhood was really cute, and it made me feel like I was having a more authentic Austin experience than if I'd stayed at one of the downtown hotels. It's a super quick walk to restaurants like Launderette (yum), bars like Stay Gold and Craftsman, and the La Barbecue truck. (A little further walk will get you to the Blue Cat Café on Cesar Chavez, if that's your thing, and to Cenote, which is a great lunch spot.) Uber's not around anymore, but to future guests, I'd suggest applying in advance for a Car2Go account—you can drive little smart cars on demand everywhere you want around the city! Once my application went through, it was a $6-$7 "rental" to drive myself to the South Congress area.

I can't say enough good things about my stay. Ben's a great host and if I ever come back to ATX I'll be checking in to see if this is available first!