Overall we had a very pleasant experience at Allison's apartment.
The best parts:
- Dog-friendly: Finding a suitable place that allows dogs is tough, and Allison's apartment complex allows pets and it was a total non-issue. It was definitely a dog-friendly community in the apartment building and surrounding areas. I was worried the dogs would struggle with the coming-and-going door slamming of an apartment, but it was surprisingly manageable because the A/C had a smooth white noise to it.
- Convenient location: I was near a ton of great food, infinity lakes and trails and walking opportunities, and everything I did was less than 20 minutes drive away - most things within 10 minutes. It's a different part of Minneapolis I hadn't stayed in before, and I really enjoyed Cedar Lake.
- Quaint little spot: It's clear that Allison has put her personal creativity into the apartment to make it a fun place to stay. It's got a lot of charm and personality and felt very homey as a result.
- Snacks & beverages: Though I didn't take advantage of this kindness, Allison was very thoughtful to welcome me and the dogs with some light snacks, coffee/tea and even a bottle of wine. It's the thought that counts.
- Responsiveness: Allison had good dog-friendly recommendations nearby, always responded to questions promptly, and help was never more than a few minutes away if I needed it.
There were some minor areas for improvement:
- Apartment life means a liiittle bit of noise from neighbors if they have late night shindigs, or an occasional door slam, but honestly, not bad at all.
- Window shades, pillows, linens and bed were on the cheap end. I would recommend replacing with working window shades that actually block light, and upgrading the pillows and blankets to be more comfortable at least.
- The front door of the building does appear less than secure because it's been smashed and cracked. From the reviews, it sounds like it has been this way more than 2-3 months and has yet to be fixed. Might be worth a call to the landlord.
- I was there for about four days and would've loved to have tidied up over that time, but there was only a broken broom that was about 1.5 feet long and no vacuum. Could be a nice replacement or addition.
- At checkout, couldn't get the lockbox open to put the keys back. Allison was responsive and we arrived at a solve, though. Hope she was able to figure it out after I left.