I came to Austin to work at the university for the summer, and picked this house because it was a convenient, one mile-walk away, and in a quiet residential area with lots of trees. The house is just as adorable as the photos show—full of character, and with little design touches that made me appreciate not staying in a generic hotel.

This was my first Airbnb experience, and Ann was the perfect host. She responded immediately and patiently to my questions, and was more than hospitable. To make things even more easy, Ann offered to lend me a bicycle and lock for the duration of my stay. When I had a friend come to town to visit, she offered a spare bike so we could both get around. So thoughtful!

The house itself is wonderful, very private, and came with everything I needed to feel at home. And that bed—firm but soft, and with the most dreamy pillows. I wanted to take the bed home with me! I loved having a fully-stocked kitchen, as well as on-site laundry, and there were plenty of bus lines close to the house with pretty good coverage of Austin. The well-maintained and very green front yard was a welcome sight at the end of a log day.

The neighborhood itself is more residential than some others, which was what I wanted. I was able to jog around Hyde Park (felt safe and wasn't too hilly), and stock up on groceries at Central Market (note that I had my car with me all summer; CM is a little too far to walk to in the summer heat, but might be a fine longer walk in cooler temps). There's a cute little area a short bike ride away (43rd and Duval) that has a cafe with live music on Sundays, a bakery, and a few other restaurants. There are lots of other places that are closer, but that corner in particular has a cool neighborhoody feel.