CHIC BACK BAY APT - Includes Breakfast + Laptop!

You will need to email a copy of your driver's licence to me within one week of making this reservation to finalize your reservation.

If you don't have time to read the section below in detail, please note the following important key points: :)
- if you'd like me to mail you the keys to a US address in advance, please send me your mailing address
- the front lobby door can be a little tricky to open - be sure to pull the key out about 1mm as you turn to the left (that will make it easier to open)
- the bathroom light is behind the wardrobe
- if anyone in the building asks who you are, please just say you are a friend of mine or that you are the cat sitter :) (much appreciated)
- don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions

DETAILS:
CHECK IN/OUT:
Check in/out times are flexible. Just please let me know approx. what time you plan to check in/check out so I can plan accordingly.

KEYS:
- I'd be happy to mail the keys to a US mailing address in advance. If you would like me to do so, please email me your mailing address and I will send them out to you approx. 1-2 weeks prior to your stay.
- Alternately, I can leave the keys for you in an envelop (with my name on it) in the building lobby.
- The round key is for the lobby door (you might need to jiggle it a little and pull it out a bit to get it to turn). The other key is for the apartment (first apartment on the right).
- When you check out, you can just leave the keys on the kitchen counter.

NEIGHBORS: ***IMPORTANT***
- I rarely run into my neighbors, so you likely won't even see anyone in the building. If you do, and should they ask who you are (highly unlikely... but just in case), if you could just say that you are a FRIEND OF MINE, that would be very, very much appreciated! :)

DIRECTIONS FROM AIRPORT BY "T": (only $2/person) (or you can take a taxi for approx. $25-30)
- Take Blue Line inbound (towards Bowdoin) to Government Center Station
- Change trains and take the Green Line (any letter train) to Copley Station
- Then walk down Dartmouth towards the Charles River. Make a left on Marlborough St. and walk for about 5min. Apartment will be on your left. (cross streets are alphabetical - i.e. Dartmouth, then Exeter, then Fairfield - you'll be staying between Exeter and Fairfield).

FOOD:
Feel free to help yourself to everything on/in the kitchen islands as well as any breakfast items in the fridge (bread, bagels, english muffins, orange juice, eggs, cream cheese, etc.) Also feel free to use the condiments, spices, sauces, etc. There's a fondue pot on the small kitchen island which you are welcome to use.

I'm super laid back, so please feel comfortable and make yourself at home!

LAPTOP:
You are welcome to use the laptop. There is no password (just hit 'enter'). If you have any trouble with the internet connection, just turn off the laptop, unplug the cable box, turn the cable box back on and then turn the laptop back on.

PARKING:
You are better to leave your car at home as parking in Boston is a giant pain (especially if you don't have a Resident parking sticker - and unfortunately guest parking permits are not issued for the Back Bay or I would leave one for you to use). You will be walking/T distance from just about anywhere you will want to go in Boston. If you have already decided to bring a car however, you can park on the following nearby streets at night (after 6pm or 8pm - depending on the street):
- Berkeley
- Clarendon
- Mass Ave.
- Newbury St.
- Boylston St.

You can also park on the above streets during the day (but you will have to keep feeding the meter). Be sure to pay close attention to the time, as you will likely get a parking ticket even if you are just 5min late. Make sure to read the parking signs carefully as they can be very confusing in Boston. A lot of the metered parking in the Back Bay is for residents-only (with resident stickers on their cars) after 6pm. There are also parking garages at the Boston Commons (reasonable $ but about a 20min walk away) and the Prudential Tower (only 5min away but $$$).

TV:
The easiest way to turn on the TV is not to use the remote, but to press the button on the right side of the TV itself (there is a sticker with 'on/off' written on it that points to where this button is). Just wait a couple of seconds and the picture will appear. If you have any issues with the cable (unlikely if you turn the TV on as outlined above):), make sure the "Input" is set to "HDMI1" (Input button is also on the right side of the TV - keep pushing it to scroll throw the options), that the cable is turned on and both cable and TV are set to Channel 3.

DVD PLAYER:
TO use the DVD player, you will need to change the INPUT setting. On the right side of the TV or on the remote, click the INPUT button and keep clicking it until you get to "DVD". Then turn the DVD player on. To return the TV to regular cable, press the INPUT button again until you get to "TV". Make sure the cable box channel is set to channel 3.

Feel free to unwrap the new movies. They are there to be watched. :)

INTERNET:
There is no password for the internet. If you are bringing your own laptop, simply plug the internet cable into your laptop. You may need to reboot your laptop after plugging in the cable (if you don't immediately a connection immediately). There is no wifi (was too slow in the apt).

POWER:
This is an old building and the power can go out in the apartment sometimes if there are a lot of items on (e.g. heater, multiple lights, blow dryer, toaster oven, etc.) If the circuit gets flipped, not to worry, the breaker is in the basement. Just go down the stairs, turn right, go around the corner and on the left wall you will see a row of what looks like closets. Go to the 3rd one, open it, then open the breaker box with #2 written on it and flip the 'tripped' switch. That should do the trick. And just use one less item. :)

DIRECTIONS TO TRADER JOE'S:
Step out of apartment and go left. Walk 3 blocks. Turn right at Boylston St. and walk approx. 1.5 blocks. You will see Trader Joe's on your right. (899 Boylston St. - just passed Gloucester St.) Its open 8am-10pm. (Way cheaper than Deluca's.)

DIRECTIONS TO SHAW'S:
Step out of apartment and go left. Walk 3 blocks to Bolyston. See Lord & Taylor? Its right behind.

DIRECTIONS TO CVS:
Step out of apartment and go left. Turn left on Fairfield St. Walk two blocks. (Its at the corner of Fairfield St. and Newbury St.).

MISC:
- Feel free to light the candles, but please exercise caution. (there is a fire extinguisher to the left of the fireplace, behind the wicker basket)
- If the blowdryer does not turn on, just press the top button on the wall socket to reboot it, and then it will.
- After your stay, you can either leave the sheets on the bed, or strip the bed and put them in the wicker laundry hamper (to the left of the fireplace).
- You can just leave the garbage/recycling in the apartment and I'll take care of it.
- The bathroom light is behind the wardrobe.

SUGGESTIONS:
Feel free to email suggestions to me after your stay. If something wasn't quite to your satisfaction and/or you thought of something that could be improved, please let me know!

Thanks for choosing to stay at "the room". :) I hope you have a wonderful time in Boston and enjoy your stay. Please make yourself at home.

Safe travels.

Kim