When I arrived at Brendon's studio, it was very late, I was tired and as I skipped dinner, hungry - not having found anything open at the airport or on the walk from the train (that wasn't fried bar food), I was so happy to see bananas and bagels! Such a nice surprise after a very long day of work/travel. If I was a beer drinker, I would've drank the one chilled in the fridge. (or had a coffee from the Keurig, if I drank coffee) The kitchen is nicely stocked with plates/cups/glasses/utensils, etc. They even left a bunch of snacks, some of which I enjoyed during my stay. The studio is very spacious and I probably spent too much time chilling on the comfy couch (and oding on diy/hgtv on the large tv). It's also very clean with lots of soft towels and a lovely shower. Even toiletries if you've forgotten something!

Brendon is really responsive to communication and quite flexible and helpful. I was there when Portland had their "boil order" for the tap water for a day and Brendon called me as soon as he heard to tell me not to drink the tap water and that they'd leave water bottles by the door to the laundry room (which they did). I could've easily picked up some water myself but they were very generous leaving me what they had. He's a great host!

The studio/house is in a quiet little neighborhood and I felt very safe. The studio is exactly as pictured in the listing! It was easy to get anywhere from there - I rented a car because I went to Multnomah Falls and Cannon Beach (and I have crummy knees) and the house was really close to the highway. But it's also quite close to a Max stop & bus stops. Oh and parking was easy peasy and best of all, free! (not so much downtown...) There's a large binder with lots of stuff to do and places to eat that I SHOULD have looked at before my second to last day so I suggest checking out out right away if you're not familiar with the area! Also, good wifi that I used a lot on my tablet to help me make some plans and keep in touch with friends. I will say that the only possible negative, as Brendon discloses in the description, is footsteps from the family can be heard overhead but if you're a morning person, it shouldn't bother you. I'm a night person and though I didn't always sleep through the footsteps, I always fell back to sleep so no big deal.

Brendon's studio is so much better than a hotel, especially at the price! It's a great home base - and a great place to decompress from being a shameless tourist. Highly recommended for a stay in Portland.