Anna's place is very convenient for hospital visits, and groceries, with T&C village being so very close. Kitchen is cute and clean and has all the tools you’d need to prepare meals. Nice safe neighborhood for walking too with a lot of character.
Negatives; 1) Bathroom; tub/shower. Beware, SLIPPERY! And there is zero to hold onto. In serious need of some safety changes, like a grab bar and some permanent or temporary tread strips. Really high steel railing to step over. Flooring is old and has a lot of grout stain, esp. around toilet. Just didn't feel good to barefoot walk on.
2) Being an older property, it is going to have plumbing/heating issues. But the furnace is really annoying. When you turn it on, or when it cycles down, it responds with what I’d describe as ‘taking a large steel spoon and repeatedly banging it around an empty coffee can’. Woke me up multiple times. Morning and night. The apartment was ice cold when we arrived and took over 3 hours to heat this small place. Maybe if the owner got it serviced that would take care of it. Or replace it?
3) I was looking forward to using that fireplace noted in the listing. But it seems to be synthetic and for looks only. Didn't see or read anywhere how to make it work.
Anna has a thick guest ‘book’ you’ll see when you arrive. She does have quite a few house rules and tasks she stipulates of her guests, some I felt a bit unreasonable. But there’s a lot of good and useful information for those new to the area and on a trip for leisure. I was there for my husband’s for his surgery at Stanford, 4 nights. Not enough time to read everything in it. Oh, and do ask ahead if there will be coffee provided as stated (I didn’t) and there was none.
Since this was a ‘winter’ visit for me, I couldn’t enjoy her backyard patio. But I’ll bet it’s delightful in warm months, as she has taken a lot of care to make it special. And maybe wouldn’t have the furnace disturbance. All in all, the place is well located and suited my immediate needs.