Jingyi's large space was a great location for a couple of nights to spend in NYC. The home is located in a safe area, surrounded by an interesting residential neighborhood on one of the many hills of Staten Island. It was very quiet at night. There were a few good places to eat within a 10-20 minute walk. The bathroom was large and new, with nice towels and a hair dryer. The views from all the windows were amazing. The third floor location was worth it!
The ferry was about a 30 min walk away; although totally safe in the daytime, probably an taxi back at night would be a safer bet. On our way into Manhattan, we actually took the smaller ferry line, the St. George ferry to Midtown West/W. 39th Street landing. This isn't free but only cost the price of a subway ride. And apparently they also have access to free shuttle buses that provide service throughout Midtown. What a ride.
And the biggest draw was the ample, free and easy parking inside the yard. That certainly made this location especially convenient since we had to have our car handy for this particular trip to NYC.
There was a park nearby that we didn't have a chance to explore, and historic areas and beaches all over the island. As native New Yorkers, SI remains somewhat of a mystery and we would love to go back to explore. Jingyi's place would be a perfect spot, and so affordable, especially when you factor in parking, for any area of NYC.