I stayed here for 4 nights when I came to Portland to take my daughter to college. The apartment is very nicely and tastefully decorated. It is a brand new renovation in the basement of a gorgeous older home. But you would really never know you were in the basement because there is plenty of light and the ceilings are quite high.
Pat was the most gracious and accommodating host that I have ever encountered on Homeaway/VRBO, and I have stayed in lots of different rentals through both. He met us when we arrived, showed us around, let us store my daughter's bike in the backyard, etc. Even better, the house and refrigerator were completely stocked. I've never seen that level of attention to detail in any previous rentals. Some have provided coffee and breakfast supplies, but Pat had wine, beer, coffee, soda, water, juice, milk, all sorts of snacks and food, like bread, salami, cheese, nuts, cookies, pastries, chocolate, etc. It was really quite amazing and allowed us to just stay in and eat "at home" the first night, as we arrived pretty late and were too tired to go out.
Further, the house was stocked with all sorts of items that you don't normally find in a rental, like full bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, face cleanser, q-tips, floss, scissors, and even nail clippers. I thought to myself, he must have stayed here himself for about a week in order to include things that any person might desire during their stay.
The apartment was very clean and the beds very warm and cozy. The kitchen had lots of counter-space to work, if you wanted to prepare meals at home. TVs in both bedrooms and the living room. It was definitely a home away from home for us and made our stay very easy.
My favorite part is that Pat is a chef at a local restaurant. When we discovered that, we asked him which one and he gave us his card. We told him that we planned to go for dinner one night while we were there. He told us to tell him which night and he would be sure we were well "taken care of." So we did; and we were! The moment he saw us, there were hugs all around, like we were long time friends, which was very nice. Pat brought us two fabulous appetizers to share with the table of three. After dinner, while we were all sitting having drinks and dessert, Pat came over and sat with us and regaled us with stories of his youth and how he got to where he is today. He is very entertaining and genuine. I felt like we had made a friend for life.
