Cheery Artsy Studio-2 mi to downtwn

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  Cynthia

  I was a little disappointed in this Airbnb experience. On the plus side, the little house provided privacy and was reasonably clean and quiet. On the other hand, I thought that the listing overstated the charm of the place. For instance, there's a photo of the view, looking out over a neighbor's yard into the distance. In real life, that view can only be seen by standing in one spot in the tiny living room, and even then the couch, the curtain, and the rather dirty window all obscure it. Other views are not so nice--one sees a discarded folding chair and other detritus out the bedroom window. And the location is not wonderful; it's a marginally walkable and not particularly interesting neighborhood. West Asheville is starting to attract some of the hip artistic vibe that makes Asheville special, but at this time it's still pretty diluted by general car-oriented ordinariness. The house itself is OK, but it was not in any way lovely or special enough to constitute a destination for me. Finally, we didn't get to meet our host, which is often the most fun and endearing part of Airbnb. I think that my disappointment really rested in having a sense that the little house was a bit over-promoted, which is rather different than my other Airbnb visits, where I have found myself repeatedly surprised and delighted by hosts who were offering more--more beauty, more charm, more conviviality, more interest--than their posting suggested. If this little house had been described more accurately, I think I'd feel a whole lot better about it. Maybe I would have decided to stay here anyway, for the privacy that having a place all to yourself provides. Or, maybe I would have stayed downtown, which truly is historically interesting and walkable, or in the River Arts district, which truly is artistic, or up in the mountains, which truly has amazing views. View host response

  March 2011

  Response from host:

  I am sorry to hear of this experience. We did our best to try to accommodate your travel trailer (downtown this would have been a challenge) and your change of dates! I updated my listing to remove the part of long range views of the Biltmore property in the winter. (I realize in the Spring and Summer the trees block the views so you did not book the right season to enjoy it.) As far as the neighborhood it boasts two of the best restaurants in Asheville and has changed immensely since your stay, but no, this is not Montford, it is a neighborhood of families and artists. Historically it was built up for the folks working in the nearby mills in the 1920¹s. I find that to hold a charm of it¹s own.

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  Julie

  We enjoyed the Artist's Studio in Asheville. It was charming and comfortable, with a little bit of everything we needed to enjoy a relaxing visit. The neighborhood was quite "dissheveled", but the studio was adorable and we were snug and felt safe and sound at night. We were left completely on our own, never even seeing our host but one time when I knocked on their door. We didn't need a thing, everything was provided. We visited in winter, but I'll bet Spring or Summer would be even better.

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  Jane

  We loved The Rabbit Hole -- colorful, charming, and low-key. We had some strange personal experiences while here (my husband's father passed away during our visit, and I filed a hard-fought creative project to an agent) and were under a LOT of stress as a result, but the cottage was a respite from these dramas. One thing we liked about staying here was that West Asheville is a neighborhood where "real Asheville-ians" seem to live -- we enjoyed dining at Sunny Point Cafe, The Admiral, The Table, sipping coffee at Waking Life, and touring The Biltmore House, The River Arts District, the crafts museum on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and day trips to Black Mountain and Hendersonville (where I've got family). Just poking around in neighborhoods...

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  Katie

  Very nice, clean, quiet and cozy cottage. We were there at a hot time, though, and the air conditioner couldn't really cool the bedroom. So, sleeping wasn't very comfortable. Being there in cooler weather would be better, I think.

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  Maja

  Lovely place! Beautiful apartment and a real treat to stay in!

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  Chris

  What a disappointment -- that we had to leave. Can't say enough about this incredibly charming cottage in this incredibly charming section of this incredibly charming city. Tempting to keep the secret to ourselves, but that would be wrong. Do whatever you can to stay here, and walk around, and eat at the Admiral, and drink at the Wedge. Thank you so much, Margaret. I hope we find our way back to your neck of the woods soon.

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