I met my host at the apartment as we previously agreed. He was most congenial and immediately gave me a tour of the apartment and helped with luggage and settling me in. The photographs provided were most accurate in the appearance and size of the rooms but an added bonus for me was that it was on the front of the building, good light, easy to assess the weather daily by looking down at people walking by. He communicated with me by email several times during my stay to see if everything was going well. This was my third consecutive year to rent an apartment for an extended period of time in this neighborhood as my daughter lives only blocks away. This apartment gives the appearance that someone actually lives here, as opposed to other years when it was apparent that the apartment was furnished sparely and only used for airbnb guests. The elevator and blooming garden space off the lobby were appreciated. You can speak to visitors on the intercom and push a button to allow the lobby door to open.

In travel I always wondered what it would be like to live in an area, versus just visit. Airbnb has certainly given me that experience in Bay Ridge. I used only public transportation (subway or bus) or walked for almost a month. The culturally diverse area is easy to explore, parks are nearby, there is a walking path on the shore (good place to watch the big ships enter the harbor), the avenues are filled with good restaurants, boutique businesses, diners, bakeries, fitness centers, groceries, carryouts, cleaners, hair salons, flower shops, well, everything! Manhattan is but a subway ride way but I always had the feeling of coming home when I got to my subway stop in Bay Ridge. I look forward to coming back to this area every year and hope to find an apartment as pleasant as this one.