I visited Austin for a month and I'm so happy I chose Bret's place! This spot was so much more than I ever could have asked for. Great host, great location, great vibe.
Take me baccckkkkk!
First of all, let's talk surroundings. This location is ideal. I didn't bring a car and either walked, took a Lyft, or hopped on a scooter the entire time I was there. I was there to explore and it was really easy to get to a bunch of restaurants/bars, the H-E-B supermarket, and lots of fun shops/music venues/yoga studios by foot. Downtown is a little less than 2 miles away and a really easy/fun walk - but I did take a Lyft a few times and it cost me about $6-8 to get from the 6th Street area (the downtown party strip!) back to Bret's place.
When you go, check out Magnolia Cafe for their brunch. It's maybe a block and a half away from Bret's place and in addition to their regular menu, they're also gluten free/vegan/hangover friendly. Also, every person you meet in Austin will know it, so it's a great anchor for when people ask you where you're staying. :-)
The apartment itself looks exactly like the pictures. Clearly new, extremely clean, and lots of lighting. Bret had soap, towels, some coffee, toilet paper, paper towels, and all sorts of other stuff available. It's just 220 sq feet, but there was plenty of room for me to cook, unpack all my bags, and even roll out my mat and do a little yoga on the floor in the mornings. The bed is firm (think Tempurpedic, although I didn't ask) and super comfortable.
Bret is absolutely lovely. He is extremely quick in responding, even when he travels, and is very helpful/friendly when you catch him in person. The power went out one night and he even helped direct me to the power box while he was out of town at his sister's house! He gives you as much space as you want, but is also great to talk to and clearly your all around good guy, which is a HUGE relief being a single female traveler. He even invited me to a crawfish boil that he was hosting and was happy to introduce me to all his friends so I could meet some locals... and they were a blast! He really was such a great host.
There were no down sides that I can think of... The neighborhood is safe (I was still walking home from yoga around 9/10pm most nights and had no issues), but there's an alarm system for the studio itself if you're worried about it. There isn't an oven, but I had no problem cooking on a stovetop (and to eat out, because let's be real, Austin is full of AMAZING restaurants).
So, basically, if you're going to Austin and want to feel safe in a spectacular location, Bret's place can't be beat. I can't recommend it enough and would definitely stay here again.
Have fun!