Excellent stay, clean, bright and colourful. Very nice people, great location. I felt very safe walking around alone at night even though my fist time in Boston. Very close/easy to bus to get into town and pretty much anywhere else you want to go. Will definitely stay there if I visit Boston again.

I had a wonderful stay at John and Jesa's home. It was clean and comfortable with beautiful art I really appreciated looking at. Cute friendly kitty cat too who likes to come say hi! The location is very close to public transportation. It is also very close to many restaurants and sights. I walked the whole time I was there and felt very safe even walking alone at midnight after listening to a band about 2 miles away. As a single woman, I had no encounters at all. Jesa was very pleasant and helpful advising me on bus/subway routes to get to where I needed, and also recommendations on things to do while there. It was my first time in Boston and what a wonderful time I had. I could not have picked a better location to stay. I would definitely recommend staying there, and when I am in Boston again, I will stay with them again. Thanks so much :)

I can only recommend Jesa and John`s place. Jesa and John are really nice people and the room is very cosy. It is worth the money. It is much better than a hotel. The public transport from their place is o.k., even though you have to wait sometimes for the buses. Sabine

Had an absolutely wonderful experience staying with Jesa and John in their "sofa-isticated basic" living room. Greeted by a friendly welcome sign on the door and smiling and gracious hosts (along with a playful kitty), I was immediately made comfortable and welcome. I had expected a basic sofa but was pleasantly surprised to find a well-cushioned air mattress, complete with fresh linens and a pyramid of pillows. Jesa and John are warm and friendly people and I was lucky enough to get to know them over a few sessions of wine and cheese. I enthusiastically join the rest of the praising reviewers who have stayed with John and Jesa and look forward to my next visit.

Jesa and John were great host. I was first time to travel by alone. But they greeting me very friendly. And I was really appreciate about their help. So, it was first time to go to Boston. So Jesa let me know specific directions. I never forget their friendly greeting. I was really comfortable in there. And I met a great neighborhood of her.I reall appreciate.

You couldn't imagine two more interesting and friendly hosts for your stay in the Boston area. The evening I arrived, around 9pm, Jesa and John offered me iced jasmine tea and a bowl of fresh cherries to share with their other guests, a young couple from Europe. We sat around the dining room table in conversation -- so much nicer than watching TV in a motel room. All I would add as a cautionary note for anyone staying in the living room is that the one bathroom available for your use in the house could require some juggling in some situations, though it worked out fine for me. And there is no air conditioning, which would only be an issue if your stay coincides with a heat wave, but there is a large ceiling fan. In additiom to the living room, there is a private guest room with its own bathroom.

What can I say, the Bailes are great people, house is located in a really nice neighborhood in an excellent location and easily accessable to all points in Boston and beyond. I slept on a comfortable air matress in a private room and was treated like a king...... I would absolutely stay there again and I highly recommended staying at this house to anyone traveling to Boston and surrounding areas....... Thank you Jesa and John, God Bless.........

where do I start... for me, my stay was a sweet dream... Jesa (didn't meet John) and their home are magical to me... staying there had a profound impact on me, I will always remember their place fondly and I am so grateful that I had the chance to stay there (and meet Jesa)... for me all categories were beyond expectations: accommodations, atmosphere,location, hospitality, cleanliness... their home is simply enchanting, the warmth, the colors, plants, the art... I would be thrilled to take a vacation to Boston just to stay with them... Thanks Jesa!

Thank you Jesa and John for your wonderful hospitality! My oldest son will be attending Boston University in the fall, and we used both the Sofa-istacted Basic, as well as the Sunny Library, for three nights last week. My youngest son stayed with me in the library...and both rooms were very comfortable...mmmmm, the comfy mattresses, cozy bedding, and fluffy pillows made it hard to get up in the morning! Jesa & John arranged fresh fruit, cereal, bagels and tea for us each morning, and they both made themselves available to answer questions, assist with sightseeing suggestions, supply us with maps and directions, and help us to feel right at home. The price is absolutely right, can't beat it...and although the home is under renovations, the energy was still incredible and I'd highly recommend staying with this lovely couple in a neighborhood that is safe and easily accessible to public transportation.

Staying with John and Jesa was a great experience, they were extremely helpful, kind, and interesting hosts. Everything was as advertised, if not better! Also, the location is ideal, it's a safe neighborhood only a few minutes away from Harvard Square, so you can get anywhere in Boston quite quickly. I have no complaints whatsoever, staying at John and Jesa's made my stay comfortable and relaxing, the way a holiday should be! When I return to Boston, I will definitively see if I can stay with them again. A big thank you to both (and Humbert as well)!

Jesa and John were great hosts. Very polite and caring. Were willing to help all the time especially in assisting a guest get his way round the great city of Boston. They are wonderful story tellers and I loved the stories we shared every morning and evening. They indeed made my stay a memorable one. Hope to be with then again sometime in the future. David.

Jesa and John are wonderful hosts! Their home is peaceful and serene and my son and I felt very welcomed. The library is a great place to sleep or hang-out and peruse the huge collection of books they have. The neighborhood is convenient as well - we walked to Harvard the first afternoon we were there (about a mile away) and there are many restaurants within a block or two of the house. The bed in the library was very comfortable and the house and neighborhood were quiet at night - we slept great! I highly recommend Jesa and John's beautiful home as a great alternative to a Boston hotel.

Jesa and John are nice hosts {even if we had to wait 40 minutes at their door the first day... } The area is definitely not the best in Somerville but as we stayed only one night and and paid a cheap price it was OK.

We absolutely agree with the tone of the preceding reviews, even if a hectic schedule precluded very much socializing with our hosts. They were marvelous. We stayed in SunnyLibrary. Mindboggling for a book lover like me. The guest shower remains under construction (sink and toilet fine), but there were no issues with using the upstairs facility. It happened that our eight days coincided with an uncharacteristic summer heat wave. On a couple of the hottest nights, air conditioning would have been good. On the others, the room fan did the job. This is a very minor point considering the rarity of extreme heat in Boston. Union Square is marvelous, a transitional neighborhood with tremendous diversity in food and drink. We enjoyed hanging out in Somerville as much as anything while in the Boston area. Great overall experience. R

Me and my boyfriend stayed two nights in July 2010 at the home of Jesa and John. We experienced a wonderful stay at a home away from home. Jesa and John welcomed us very friendly and were easy to talk two. All in all we had a wonderful time in Somerville and would highly recommend Jesa and John as your future host.

My stay with Jesa and John was very relaxed and comfortable. It's nice to have some time to visit (would have liked more) as they are very interesting folks, as well as kind and friendly. Jesa's artistic talent is amazing. The neighborhood felt very safe and was a lovely five minute walk past victorian homes from/to Union Square, which has a variety of restaurants and pubs. Transporation easily linked up at Union Square to everywhere. Without a doubt, I would stay again when in Boston.

Four nights in the library for an exploration of historical and gastronomical Boston. Very satisfied with location, neighborhood, accommodations, and hostess. Highly recommended!

We had our best sleep in the cosy sunnylibrary room in our entire trip to New York City, Boston and Buffalo! Jesa was extremely helpful in providing us with maps and local tips on where and what to do in Boston. The Daily Catch (Jesa's recommendation) was superb! It was a great pleasure to live in Jesa and John's house. It was a shame that John was not around but I am sure he is as great a host as Jesa! Thanks Jesa and John!!

what a delight it was to stay at Jesa & John's place. as a New Yorker, i most enjoyed the extreme quiet at night and waking to the lovely sounds of birds in the morning. one could not ask for a more charming host than Jesa! thank you!

I really enjoyed my stay in both the sofa-isticated bedroom and the library. Jesa and John are wonderful people who try to make you feel at home. We had great conversations about various subjects. If i would ever need a place to stay in Boston I would book either room again without hesitation.

Jesa is gracious, lovely, funny, sensitive and a brilliant artist. In addition, she is married to one of the sweetest men, John Bailes, I have ever met. I love John and Jesa and enjoy visiting their wonderful, artistic, inviting home.

These are two of the finest, most interesting people I know, and I never miss an opportunity to visit with them. Their home is filled with treasures and art, is warm and comfortable, and a short walk to Kendall Square, MIT, and Central Station. Highly recommended.

not certain that i can do anything more than fully concur with the previous 2 recommendations. the bed is the most comfortable pull out i have ever slept on. the room is private and inviting and warm as pictured. and jesa and john -- love them. will be back soon (mid oct)

Jesa and John are a personable, convivial couple with a lovely house in a lively Boston-area neighborhood. My wife and I have stayed in this very room several times, and if our experience is any guide, you can expect gracious hospitality, outstanding cooking, and (if your schedule and taste permit) scintillating conversation. Highly recommended.

john and jesa are humble,, gracious, witty, intelligent and caring people and gregarious without ever leaping over either your need for privacy or their sensing of it. Be assured, you are in good hands, better than those of the insurance people.

Jesa & John are two of my favorite people in the entire world. Your stay will not only be wonderful, but an artistic & spiritual adventure as well. What more could you ask for? And such a BARGAIN!

John and Jesa are fabulous friends -- smart, aware, connecting. Each brings diverse experience, deep knowledge, good cooking, amazing art. Their home is comfy and quirky. And the food!!! I totally recommend them and would gladly have any potential guest contact me for details. Bob Nesson

John and Jesa are wonderful people with a great home. You can't find better hosts for your trip to Boston.