Pros:
-The apartment is clean and everything is new
-The location is great for getting to Brighton Beach
-Alex's mom checked us in. She was lovely and speaks Russian, so if you don't speak Russian, I would advise installing Google translate on your phone so that she doesn't have to call Alex.
Cons:
-The couch can only be used for a bed if you are a smaller adult. I am 5' 5" and was able to use it, but a larger adult would not fit on it.
-Alex was not the most gracious host. We were not able to check in until almost 3 although the advertisement said 1, and the couch was much smaller than I expected, since it was advertised as a third place to sleep. His mother had him call me and he repeatedly told me that I could cancel if I didn't like it, which I found abrasive.