Truly a home away from home! Jayne is new to the Homestay site but has many years’ experience working with young people and hosting guests, especially international students, both in the UK and New Zealand. She is a consummate hostess, never too busy to accommodate requests, willing to go the extra mile to ensure the comfort of those staying in her home and brimming with suggestions about things to see and do in Christchurch and the Canterbury region. The house itself is very clean and well-appointed. We stayed in the main guest-room which can accommodate a small family quite easily. The double bed is very comfortable. We had use of a WC and bathroom of our own, which is shared between guests but not the residents. Good WiFi signal, kettle with tea & coffee in the room as well as a small fridge and tv/dvd player should you wish to use it. The location is a quiet residential street on a spit between the beach and estuary so there’s no through traffic. Very scenic with good walks nearby. Not central, however it’s on a regular, cheap bus route to Christchurch taking about 40 mins. In addition Jayne and her husband Mike can lend bikes or even a car for those who have concerns about getting around. Last but not least mention should be made of Rufus the dog, who takes his duties as security guard seriously but is all bark at the start and absolutely no bite, becoming accustomed to newcomers very quickly and a charming companion. Our only regret was not being able to stay longer.

Lien lives in a great town house in Long Bien, across the river and a 10 to 15 minute drive from the hustle and bustle of central Hanoi, about 50k VND in an Uber or Grab or 60k in a taxi. Lien was especially kind to us on our first evening with her. We had booked her cousin to collect us from the airport and since our airline had lost our luggage he had to wait much longer than anticipated. When we got to her home she also provided some toiletries to use and clothes to borrow. Our room was clean, well appointed and filled with abundant drinks and small snacks, very welcome after a hard day of travel. She helped us around the immediate neighbourhood the next day, pointing out good places to eat cheaply and finding a provider of Vietnamese SIM cards. When our bags finally arrived she handled the calls from the delivery service and also did a load of laundry for us. Later on in our stay she was of great assistance in booking excursions to the Ninh Binh and Halong Bay areas, kindly preparing breakfast for us before an early departure. She also helped to make arrangements for a modification to the tour itinerary. The only word of caution I would offer is that light sleepers may be bothered in the very early morning by the noises of the surrounding area - dogs, cockerels etc - as well as some construction work that is happening across the street. Otherwise I would recommend Lien’s place to anyone looking for a base to explore Hanoi, especially if they are new to the city and Vietnam in general. Lien is a truly wonderful, courteous and professional host.

This was our first booking with Homestay and I think the experience was so good it may have spoiled all that will follow. The house is unique, comfortable, well-appointed, clean and quiet. Guest have what amounts to a wing of their own (two bedrooms and a cloakroom with WC & basin) and use of a shower/bath wetroom on the other side of the property. Other reviewers have mentioned that they didn't see much of their hosts but we were lucky to find them at home during our fortnight's stay and so benefitted from their kind care and attention throughout, while never feeeling that we didn't have our privacy. Setagaya is a very pleasant suburban neighbourhood although not on any of Tokyo's myriad train lines. However there's a very frequent bus through to Shibuya (¥220, 15mins approx) which is a hub for all services and the shuttles to Narita airport too. There are multiple shops, bars and restaurants within easy walking distance of the house. Anyone visiting Tokyo would be well advised to stay with Toshiro and Tanya.