First, it's been an extremely long time since I've used this blog, and I'm writing this entry because VRBO doesn't allow me to post a review using their app because I rented the unit using the Expedia app, which actually owns VRBO.
But Expedia won't let me type more than a few sentences and their support says they were not aware that there was a word limit.
Go figure, to it all!! Sigh.
However, Expedia said that I could post a link to a personal blog, so here it is.
Below is the link to the rental and my review.
Definitely check it out if you're ever in Philly.
Thank you to Michee, our host.
We loved our stay!
Enjoy your day!
Make it a great one!
- Aunt Dawn
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Your Cozy Retreat in West Philadelphia!
Rental review:
This rental is adorable and cozy for sure. We would stay again in a heartbeat. It felt like a home away from home.
And nope...I'm not related to the host. This is my first time staying in this rental and I'm not getting paid for a review.
It's a very clean and comfortable space, with lots of special bonuses that I wasn't expecting and haven't seen in other rental spaces.
The kitchen is fully equipped including typical appliances, with surprises like huge chip and popcorn bowls, folding food/lap trays, a waffle maker and a food processor.
Thank you to the in-door fridge (filtered) water and ice dispenser!! You were indispensable! LOL ;)
If you can't find something, just look in the various cabinets, because it's probably somewhere. A ton of spices and other pantry staples are in the cabinets. Oatmeal, cocoa, tea, crackers, and more.
The coffee maker is a drip, specifically the Cuisinart Express Brew, as of May 2025. We brought our own grounds, but there were actually some available, as well as filters, sugar and non-dairy creamer, all probably left by the host or previous guests.
If you don't feel like bringing your own food for meals in advance, there is an Aldi's within a 10-minute walk, or less than a 5-minute drive away to get more groceries and supplies, and they also deliver.
Costco, ACME, ShopRite Giant and Wegmans, plus more will also deliver. We received an Instacart delivery from Costco and they had no problems locating the rental.
(We also went everywhere in Uber and they had no problems locating the address either.)
Aside from staples in the kitchen, there were also shampoo and soap and basic toiletries in the bathroom. Each bedroom has a supply of bathroom linens.
The living room has a very large TV that connects to many apps, making entertainment easy.
We didn't use the sound system nor the Bluetooth party speaker, so I can't really attest to either of those, but they seem fun and both have remotes.
A few things to explain, and none of these should be deal breakers for anyone...
1) Shower: We couldn't quite figure out how to use the shower door properly, so we did our best and placed a towel on the floor to soak up any water that sprayed out, and it all seemed to work out fine.
2) Dining room table/ Pool table:
Cute benches and a really neat idea for a combo table!! Lift up the bench seats to find pool table supplies and other goodies!!
Hint....the pool table might be a little uneven. It wasn't enough to notice at all when we were eating, but when you have 15 balls on a table, the slightest tilt of even a degree can bring the game to a whole other (hilarious) level .
However, each leg has a tiny round adjuster at the bottom, underneath, that you can turn left or right to level it out. Just have someone lift up each corner a teeny bit, carefully. Not a big deal at all.
It was actually quite a bit funny and made for hilarious games of what we called "gravity pool" before we figured out how to fix the legs.
Please just be careful when reassembling the cover because the peg and hole that keeps it together is starting to come apart and just needs a little bit of TLC from guests.
We also brought our own tablecloths since we were decorating for a party and had to use 2. So just remember that it's the size of a pool table (44x88"), plus a little bit more.
Our tablecloths were 54"x108" and it was just enough to cover it - plenty on the long end, but just about 3-4 inches on the sides, hence we used two.
3) Upstairs Hallway Light:
The upstairs hallway light has a sensitive motion sensor, which can be covered with a Post-It or napkin if it bothers you too much at night when you have multiple people and keep bedroom doors open. It's great as a safety measure but it is a very bright white when it turns on in the middle of the night.
Hint: The bathroom also has its own night light... Look above the switch and you will see four buttons, one of which says "Night" and will leave a soft blue glow at night if you leave the door open, in place of the ceiling motion light in the hallway.
It doesn't turn off automatically in the morning, so don't forget to turn it off before you leave for the day.
4) AC/Heat:
When we arrived, the outdoor temperature was 86°. It was a very hot day in Philly. Needless to say, I can't tell you anything about the heating system.
The AC was set to 78° upon arrival. Some of us (me) are very heat sensitive, so it took a little bit of time to get the temperature to go down.
Once you figure out the thermostat and air starts to move, it cools down nicely.
It's a smart thermostat so it is a bit tricky at first, but you can adjust it by Googling the direction manual (model name is on the front) to set the temp, schedule, and fan.
Just don't adjust the settings for zone for the downstairs occupied unit.
And please remember to reset it before leaving, and you will receive an email kindly reminding you to do so as well.
Hint: We also turned on the ceiling fans in the upstairs bedrooms and put the circulating stand fans in strategic spots around the unit to get the air moving. Worked like a charm but don't forget to unplug them before you leave for the day. (My uncle's home burnt down because a fan fell over while they were gone and the carpet caught on fire. Seems like a no-brainer, but we all can forget sometimes.)
5) Coffee - Cuisinart Express Brew:
You can also Google for a direction manual if you're not familiar with this version. Do not use the hard gold filter with paper filters - both are provided, as of May 2025.
It holds a capacity of 12 cups, but there is also a button for brewing only 1-4 cups - and it is definitely fast!!
Hint: The coffee pot itself leaked a little bit when we were pouring into one of the many colorful and fun mugs in the cabinet above the sink (Friends is my favorite show, so it was yet one more charming detail that made me feel at home... and you'll just have to check it out sometime to see what I mean.) But after leaking with the next cup and spilling a bit more on the counter, we decided to simply pour it over the sink. I could have been doing something wrong, but I just couldn't figure out from where it was leaking.
It's NOT the type of leak that is enough to spill hot coffee on you. It's just a few drops that leak from somewhere, maybe around the rim? So just a quick word of caution - either pour it over the sink or just have a paper towel in hand.
6) Master Bedroom/Bed:
The bed in the master bedroom has an interesting wrap around bench around it. If you lift it up, there's actually storage and extra pillows.
Just be aware in the middle of the night because if you're not used to it, it can be a bit surprising when you swing your legs over the edge of the bed.
If you short like me, you can actually just scoot onto the bench in order to put your feet on the floor before standing up.
It's also very useful as a nightstand, of sorts - glasses, phone, tablet, water bottle, etc.
And, there is also an extension power bar in the bench on the left side of the bed. Very helpful for phone chargers and such.
7) Closets and storage:
Lastly, there are plenty of cabinets in the kitchen for food storage, but there is no access to most of the closets for other storage. They are locked, presumably to store supplies for the host.
The smaller bedroom upstairs at the end of the hall does have a double sliding-door closet that was unlocked. You can easily hang a week's worth of clothes coats, dresses, suits, or any other hanging items, for 3-4 people. As long as sharing the closet in another room isn't a problem, then you'll be fine. Again, not a deal-breaker.
Each bedroom has plenty of floor space for luggage and the master bedroom is extra roomy and can handle any extra luggage, boxes or coolers that your group may have brought along if you don't want to leave them in the common living spaces on the first floor.
The master bedroom also has a very large set of dresser drawers but the smaller rooms do not.
And each bedroom and the bathroom also has a set of hooks on the back of the door for hanging items, as well as hooks on two doors in the dining room.
And seriously...
That's it for any sort of "explanation".
And honestly, you'll see that none of it is really negative at all.
I'm really just explaining some of the eccentricities of the unit, which are no different than some things that we all have in our own homes that could use a little explaining.
More about the Rental Unit...
This rental was SO wonderful for all of us. We were 4 that stayed for overnights in the unit (an 11-year-old, 2 senior citizens, and a 50-year-old), and we expanded to 9 of us for a graduation get together on one afternoon. Our host even provided extra chairs because they knew we were having visitors - so thoughtful - and Thank you!!
It didn't seem cramped - not ever - even when everyone was gathered around the pool table to watch the antics of those who thought they were the next Minnesota Fats.
We weren't tourists for the weekend. We were there for graduation ceremonies at UPenn, so we can't comment on the rest of the town even though I've been there before and it can be quite lovely for history, sports, and culture.
When we weren't on campus, we stayed in the rental. And it was just like staying at home.
The 11-year-old was plenty occupied with the televisions and apps, and pool table and ping pong table.
We played some board games, a few provided by the host, and everyone had a corner of the house to go to if they needed some alone time or a nap.
One of the senior citizens was even able to take a nap on the afternoon of our graduation party and wasn't terribly bothered by noise.
Both of my parents were also able to retire earlier in the evenings while I was still downstairs working on meals and preparations, and my noise never bothered them once - neither did any of my early morning kitchen activity nor the 11-year-old's use of the tv in his room, right down the hall from my parents.
The entire group of 4 occupants and 5 visitors thought the rental was great and those that were not staying in the unit were actually jealous because they were simply staying in a hotel room without a pool table, a ping pong table, a 50+ inch tv, nor a fridge to dive into that I had filled with food and drinks for the afternoon and weekend.
Again, it was a home away from home for a few days.
The neighbors were nice when I needed help, and the neighborhood is nice and quiet, better than many parts of West Philly. There was no noise coming from the street, or anywhere really, that kept us up at night, or even in the day. You can hear some planes overhead, a lawnmower nearby and a few sirens in the distance, but that's it. You don't hear a busy city at all.
Use Google Earth or Google maps to get a better idea of the location. Crimespotter is also very helpful and will show you that there are less reports of assaults, burglaries and thefts in this particular area compared to others. Being in a cul-de-sac also helps deter criminals from entering because they only have one exit.
Philadelphia is indeed known for high crime, but you don't get that feeling in this neighborhood.
There are also a few churches nearby as well as some schools and playgrounds and lots of little convenience stores and smaller local restaurants. It really has more of the feel of the suburbs versus a busy city.
There isn't a yard to play in for children, but it's in tiny cul-de-sac that doesn't have much traffic at all. So a little light playing in the road would be safe enough for older children or even littler ones with supervision. Or even more pleasant is a lovely park and green space near the entrance of the cul-de-sac, across the street (again, just use Google maps and satellite views to locate these things).
We didn't have time to go there because we had too many festivities and commencement ceremonies, but they look lovely and clean.
Seriously, we did our homework and for the price range, it was an amazing value in every aspect, and lived up to all of the homework I had done in advance. It's not a luxury rental, nor do they proclaim to be. It is definitely not a dump and the listing is true to it's word.
It is really well maintained and taken care of, and is a very cute rental with all the feels and amenities of home.
About getting around....
Taking an Uber into Old Town or Center City runs you about $20-25 each way, about 4 to 5 miles away. It was less than $10 to UPenn/Drexel, about 2 miles away. Just do your homework in advance.
We were able to park our pickup truck in the driveway and if we needed to, we could have parked another vehicle on the street at the end of the driveway.
If you have smaller cars, you can park two in the driveway, with one squeezing over the sidewalk - just follow along like all the other neighbors nearby. The sidewalks aren't frequently traveled and seem to be used more for parking, truth be told.
Or you can also park anywhere on the cul-de-sac where you can find a spot.
Parking in Philly at a garage starts typically around at least $40 a day. Driving and finding a street parking spot anywhere in the city has its own set of nightmares as well.
So it's definitely worth driving here, parking, and taking an Uber or other car service or the bus which is just two blocks away.
Additionally, unless you know how to expertly navigate one-way streets, having someone else drive for you is definitely the way to go.
I worked in New York City and am a frequent driver in Boston, both of which are also renowned for having one-way streets. I already knew the stress of one-way-crazy-busy streets.
But even as I drove our full size pickup to the UPenn dorm, my Google Maps/GPS directed me incorrectly down a one-way street. (Seriously folks...AI is definitely not about to rule the world anytime soon.)
Luckily we realized it before I even turned into oncoming traffic, but that event made me very thankful for all of my previous Uber drivers in the City of Brotherly AND Sisterly Love.
So do yourselves a favor and use ride services or research the bus and use the SEPTA app.
Getting there...
If you come in from 676, and you have to go through the Ben Franklin parkway (the avenue with all the flags and the Rocky steps.)... All of that is extremely busy. Once you get across the bridge on the west side of the Schuylkill River, it's much easier going, albeit filled with the aforementioned one-way streets.
Once you get closer to the Mill Creek neighborhood, which is where the rental resides, things are much calmer and have a less frantic feel.
About the host... Michee
Michee is SO very responsive and friendly. He/staff even wrote a lovely welcoming message for my niece's graduation on a chalk banner board that sits at the top of the stairs in the entrance and that was such a sweet surprise. Thank you!!
When I arrived, I wasn't able to access the key lock because, well, sometimes I can be an airhead... Or maybe it was because I had just driven almost 6 hours, on a detour-filled-crazy-weekend-traffic trip that should have only taken 4 hours, with a child and two senior citizens, way too many rest stops with overly priced food and coffee, and having just returned the previous day from being out of the country for 3 weeks. So maybe I can simply attribute it to fatigue and stress, which all ended as soon as I (finally) opened the door and walked around the rental. Phew... What a sigh of relief that the listing was spot on. Spot on! That stress quickly relieved itself, for sure.
But when I arrived and couldn't open the door, I sent Michee a message and he actually called me immediately. It was during our conversation that I realized my own error and thanked him profusely for dealing with a very weary traveler. He was so gracious, saying no apologies necessary and hoped that we all have a wonderful weekend.
And we did!!
5 stars!!
A+++++!!!
Thank you to Michee from Aunt Dawn in CT!!
