I can’t recommend Tom & Lily’s place more highly. It looks exactly as beautiful as it does in the pictures, it’s neat and clean, and I found it such a wonderful space to relax in between adventures. I also met some really lovely people who were staying in the other rooms, which was a bonus.
When I booked this stay, I wasn’t sure what the area was like, or whether I’d feel safe walking home alone at night. I was pleased to find that while the building is located on a street full of similar massive warehouses, there’s a really vibrant food/bar scene just a block away, and I always felt safe in the area.
The only problems I had with this stay weren’t Tom and Lily’s fault at all, but they’re worth flagging here just in case anyone else has similar concerns. One is that while the area is pretty quiet at night, the building itself has quite creaky floors/footsteps end up being quite loud. If you’re a light sleeper bear that in mind (I’m a pretty light sleeper, but I did find that I adapted pretty quickly). The other thing to note is that while there is an air conditioner in the apartment, air flow to each of the individual rooms isn’t great due to the unique plywood construction. It was quite hot when I stayed, and the room I was in did get pretty warm, though there is a small fan which helps. Once again, I wouldn’t consider this a dealbreaker, you just might want to turn the aircon on early and open the door of your room for a few hours before bed in summer.
Other than that, it was a really great stay. Bushwick is great, and it’s a pretty quick subway ride to Manhattan (though beware, they’re currently doing some night/weekend work on the L train that requires you to take a shuttle bus for part of the route at those times — plan ahead!).
Finally, I need to pass on some great recommendations I got from Tom and Lily as well as other guests. Artichoke Pizza just up the street serves phenomenal food and has a great piano player who stops by some week nights, Tina’s Place is a lovely (and extremely affordable) old diner that’s been running in the area for 50+ years, and the thrift stores nearby are fantastic. I hope I get the chance to come back here some time soon.