Perfect Holiday Retreat Steps from Downtown RVA

Nice home away from home while visiting our daughter who lives nearby.

The large master bedroom has a very comfortable queen size bed with controls to raise the head and foot of the bed. The 2nd bedroom has two twin beds (low in height) that are great for a child or someone who is agile. There are 2 additional rolling mattresses underneath the each bed. The couch in the living room is petite and the TV very large. The small dining table can seat four people. There was also a petite table for two in the kitchen as well as everything we needed to cook meals. The bathroom was a nice size and the towels were very plush. Furnishings appeared to be fresh and new. The pictures in the listing matched the inside of the property. The exterior photo is of a local market, which is about a third of a mile away. The property itself is a second floor apartment so you have to go up a flight of stairs to enter. It appears that the original home was a duplex where 1/2 was divided into two apartments. It is an area of town where some older homes have been renovated, while some are in disrepair. Parking is along the street or in a grassy empty lot next to the property. We had some concerns when we drove to the property because there is a public housing development about a mile away that looked a bit rough, but found that the street we were located on was quiet. However we weren’t sure about walking around. Our host, Paula, was great and very responsive and our stay was enjoyable. We recommend visiting the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Overall the stay was nice and mostly comfortable. There were a lot of stairs that I was not expecting (my mom had to take a break on the way up). I wasn’t extremely happy about the location of the bathroom but it was a nice bathroom. Mainly, I was displeased with what I thought was a “pull out sofa bed” but in reality it was a tiny futon. (All the furniture outside of master bedroom was low furniture.) The master bedroom was perfect, however the other bedroom does not have a television and the beds are very low which could be trouble for people with bad knees. The host was awesome and available - I got confused with where the keys were located and she answered immediately and stayed on the phone to make sure we were able to enter the home.

My husband, daughter and I were in Richmond for our son’s graduation.The apartment was perfect for us. It had everything we needed, was very clean and comfortable. Really nice near by restaurants and a vintage market on the weekend. Definitely recommend!

DISCLAIMER: Most of the issues are not the fault of the owner! The parking was convenient but a little disconcerting as you are literally parking on an unmarked lot. Upon entering the property the stench of cats is VERY strong and the stink floats up the stairs into the unit where the property is located. There are a ton of plug in air freshners so it is clear that this is an issue. The neighborhood is not great. There are some nicer homes that have been fixed up but many are very run down. We walked our dog around the area and decided that this was an unwise decision and returned to get our car and drive into other areas. A smoke detector was going off when we arrived (probably a dead battery). The ceilings are very high which is aesthetically great but we couldn't reach it to stop the chirping. We reached out to Paula and she was super fast to reply and very apologetic! She had someone there within 40 minutes to remedy the problem. We couldn't get the lights in the halls and stairwell to turn on (tried every switch). The bathroom had hair in the fluffy bath mat and in the shower. The washer smelled mildewy. The water heater in the kitchen was covered by two pieces of shelving leaning against it. The furniture was adequate but not very comfortable. There are fireplaces, as stated in the listing, but they are bricked/stuccoed over so really just mantels. Many of the outlets had big gaps between the cover and the wall, so if you have small children be aware.

We were in town for a sporting event and it was perfect for our family of 4 which was more affordable than a hotel with more space for one night. The unit has a lot of charm and we found a great roastery for coffee along with brunch nearby.

We had a great stay at Paula’s place. Only regret was we didn’t have more time to do things in that area. We did get a fun walk through the neighborhood and Church Hill, visiting Lamplighter coffee and Historic St. John’s. Location is fantastic for doing and seeing a lot of things around Richmond. Older, quiet neighborhood in an urban setting. House is advertised and very clean. 5 adults, with three teens stayed comfortably. Although perhaps one draw back would be lack seating for everyone. We enjoyed our stay, Paula communicated well and we would love to stay there again if the opportunity arises.

This house is the 2nd floor of an end unit townhouse, very recently outfitted with quality appliances and a very effective heater (it was in the high 20s at night). As with many older homes there are still the minor inconveniences (or delightful quirks) that may impact the stay of those who are expecting hotel-level ease of operation. Our old short-legged dog had a difficult time with both sets of stairs. Otherwise, the four humans slept well on comfortable beds and we managed cooking and storing food in the large kitchen, although it is a little short on counter and table space. We felt safe in the neighborhood, shared a fenced-in back yard with downstairs neighbors, and parked on the greenspace lot between us and the church next door. There are chairs on the covered back porch and chairs in the back yard. The house came equipped with everything we needed except food - paper towels, extra toilet paper, dryer sheets, laundry pods, dishwasher pods, dog-waste bags, coffee/espresso machine w/K-cups, a toaster, pots, pans, dishes, silverware, bottled water (although the tap water tasted delicious), fast wifi, extra blankets - really, everything. The location is very close to downtown and walkable to several of Richmond's fine parks. We had a delightful stay.