Review of Mark's
Awesome! Staying at Mark's was my very first AirBnB experience. From the day I walked in & met Lyn until the day I left, I felt like I was with lifelong friends.
The digs: My room was great - easy access to front door, bathroom & kitchen & I had a very relaxing view of the atrium while doing computer work at my desk. The kitchen was very well supplied, complete with Vita-mix, coffee bean grinder & French press as well as anything else I needed for food prep. I had my own (more than adequate) space in the fridge as well as in the pantry. The deck is great for enjoying the California sun & his lemon & grapefruit trees are loaded! While I was quite worried about having to share a bathroom, this proved to be no problem for me. The internet provider was having issues while I was there, but the majority of the time it would test at 80-100 mbps.
The host: Mark is simply a great guy. I thoroughly enjoy our many conversations, especially as I was coming in from work in the mornings & winding down while enjoying a spinach & salmon omelette or green smoothies. He is so attentive to his guests & goes above & beyond to accommodate. I went to Yosemite for the weekend & he made sure I had all of the gear that I needed! He opens his home for all to enjoy & is a truly gracious host. He is a guy that knows all of his neighbors by name as well as all of their children. He and Lyn are an awesome resource for anything from restaurants & activities to nails & massages.
Speaking of which, the neighborhood is awesome. Everyone is friendly & either speaks or waves! (How often do we see that anymore?) when staying at Mark's you are less than 15 minutes from anything (except the beach - that's 45). Perfect location!
Kenji - in a category of his own: What an incredible creature! He & I became big buddies during my stay, with walks around the neighborhood, to the park, & even a trip to the beach! He is very intelligent, keeps up with his "herd" & is quick to let you know when someone is coming in.
The only thing I can hope for is an open room the next time I'm in San Jose.