The House: The house was stunning; the pictures online don’t do it justice. We were visiting Australia from the U.S. to visit our best friends, and all that we wanted to do was spend time together. The house was perfect for that. We would get up in the morning, throw open the slider doors, and sit around the farmhouse table drinking our morning coffee/tea. And because we like to cook, we had breakfast and dinner at home most nights. The kitchen is well-equipped and able to handle our dinner parties.

The Location: I knew nothing about the Sydney area when I booked the house, and chose it based upon the pictures of the home itself. But when I arrived in AU and told people that we were staying in Paddington, the envious responses let me know that we were in the right place. The house was three blocks from Oxford Street and Queen Street, which is filled with stores, shops, pubs, upscale restaurants, and the spectacular Saturday morning Paddington Market. It is also a short bus or taxi trip into downtown Sydney or anywhere else you would like to go. I would stay in this neighborhood again in a heartbeat.

The Hostess: I cannot say enough good things about Genevieve. From before our trip to after we left, she has been kind and attentive and helpful. She provided us with a long list of places to go, things to see, and food to eat—and she was spot on about everything. But I am not saying anything about her that you can’t read in the other reviews—she is the best.