I found Rosana’s apartment to be a very nice and cozy place to stay for my 2 months in NY. The apartment is always warm during cold weather, as the neighbors upstairs like to keep the heating on. There is no air conditioner, but I’m sure one can be installed if you request one ahead of time. The microwave dosn’t work and is quite old, so I would also make sure to ask about that if reheating food is something you may want. Neighbors upstairs are quiet and friendly, but you can hear their heavy footsteps through their floorboards/the ceiling right above your bed during the day. It can be quite loud, but the noise stops before bed, so it shouldn’t disrupt your sleep. Rosana was very friendly and helpful throughout my 2-month stay. If I had any queries, they were responded to within 24 hours.

The neighbourhood of Bay Ridge is quiet and peaceful, houses are lovely, people are friendly, and Rosana’s apartment is right opposite Shore Road Park (lots of greenery and cute squirrels jumping around) - with a view of NY Bay & Statue of Liberty in the distance. Bay Ridge is among the safest of neighbourhoods in NY, and is about one hour away from Times Square via the B9 Bus followed by the N train. I would definitely recommend this apartment if you are looking for a nice place to stay in New York and don’t mind travelling a little longer to get to Manhattan. There are also several nice Italian restaurants I enjoyed eating in in Bay Ridge –like Zio Totto & Vesuvio.

The best thing about staying in this apartment for me was the fact that it’s situated in such a great location. It meant that I could get the best of both worlds – live right next to a long stretch of park where I could take peaceful walks in the sun and enjoy the view of the bay, or if I wanted the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, it was only 30 mins (SOHO/China Town) – 60mins (Times Square) away. And on top of that, Rosana was a really pleasant and responsive landlord, which made the overall renting process that much less stressful and enjoyable.