We were a party of 4.2: two grandparents, two parents, and a toddler. Grandparents and toddler were visiting Austin for the first time; parents had visited once or twice in day trips only.

The location was ideal, right in the heart of everything we wanted to experience. The neighborhood was ideal, just a few doors away from local shops, restaurants, and grocery stores, but also in a pleasant friendly set of residences with interesting architecture and landscaping and walkable streets. The immediate neighbors seemed nice but left us to ourselves, just as we wanted.

The house has a lovely spacious airiness in the main front room. It provides a sense of being almost outdoors but also complete protection from the elements (35-70 degrees outside and uniformly 68 inside without a single draft). The appointments and decorations give a sense of warm gracious good taste that includes motifs like guitars and Curious George, with colors and textures that quietly convey a sense of home.

Sleeping arrangements were exactly as advertised. The staircase to the upper level was slightly steep for the youngling and elders unaccustomed to stairs, but merely a newness and not an obstacle. Bathrooms and facilities had sumptuous and interesting goodies. Kitchen was much bigger than expected, but we ate out every night.

Mike and Elizabeth themselves were friendly but utterly unobtrusive. On the one hand, I'd have liked to get to know them better; on the other hand, we were doing so much family-together stuff that I appreciated them keeping their distance. We had only one small problem/question that wasn't answered in the clear straightforward House Notes, and Elizabeth responded within an hour.

Overall, this was a lovely experience with warm and pleasant people in a welcoming house in an ideal location in a fascinating city. So very very much better in all respects than paying twice as much for hotel rooms with 10% of the space and none of the heart.