We had the great privilege to have stayed here for a month and we could not have asked for a more perfect place. The location is ideal. Being close to Mississippi, Williams, and Alberta, we had more than enough things to do (and eat) within walking or biking distance to keep us busy for the month (an amazing variety of delicious restaurants; ice-cream parlors; one of the city’s top rated food pods; a cute local, organic grocery store that plays vintage records as you shop; live music venues; a great gym and yoga studio; DIY classes including soap and chocolate making, sewing, cooking, glass etching and coffee roasting; great local breweries; a spa with an outdoor hot tub; the Grill Cheese Bus and; the Kennedy school). We just loved this neighborhood. People were friendly and we felt right at home. And if you want to explore other parts of the city, taking public transit to other neighborhoods is fast and easy.

The apartment is cozy and spacious and, in terms of amenities, it has it all. The kitchen is large, bright and well equipped to make elaborate meals (if you can resist all of the nearby restaurants). The bedroom is HUGE, nice, super quiet and cool at night (but, if you prefer, can be heated in a second with one of the powerful heaters in the apartment). You’ll wake up to the soft sounds of birds signing in the morning. A few other pluses worth mentioning are the high pressure & spacious shower with heat-on-demand, the outside BBQ, and the beautiful gardens and flowers in the large yard where you sit and have a drink in the sun in the afternoon. Sadie, the border collie, won our hearts.

Our hosts were the cherry on the sundae. Janie and Virginia are thoughtful, warm, generous and went out of their way to help us feel at home. As food and music lovers who have lived in the city for a long time, they have all of the inside information about Portland (seriously, they seem to know everyone here) and were happy to share it with us. Getting to know them was definitively one of the highlights of our trip. They are interesting, warm, funny and fun.

One last note – Janie and Virginia have a beautiful cabin in Manzanita, a quiet coastal town less than a 2 hour drive from Portland. They were kind enough to let us rent the place for a few nights. It is heaven on earth. It’s the perfect place to relax and unwind and is walking distance from the quaint town and spectacular beaches. Again, Janie and Virginia know all of the good local spots for food and wine. If you have the chance to stay there, don't pass it up.