I stayed with Kate for a week while running a conference at Reed. The location was perfect for me -- close enough to walk (it took me about 20 minutes), but far enough away that I felt like I had a good distance at the end of the day from all the work.
Over the course of the week several people/couples were in and out of the second room, and Kate was always good about telling me who would be there. This was really helpful for figuring out whether I'd need to coordinate use of the shared bathroom!
I really appreciated use of the kitchen. It's a fair walk to any of the shops or restaurants in the neighbourhood, so it was great to be able to have coffee and breakfast before leaving the house. The breakfast nook was perfect for an evening sit-down, and if no one else is using it the table works well as a desk for using the computer or writing postcards. The banana bread was wasted on me, but it smelled great and there was lots of it -- anyone who enjoys fresh baked treats will definitely appreciate it. I did take terrible advantage of the Keurig coffee maker, though. :)
All in all, it was a great week in Portland, and Kate was an excellent hostess. The house was a perfect home away from home for the week I was there.