WARNING- CRITICAL/IN DEPTH REVIEW
We had a really wonderful trip staying at Halima’s place. We’ve stayed several times in New York but never in Brooklyn, and I have to say I may never stay anywhere else again.
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The good: the place is surprisingly spacious for a one bedroom. Full kitchen, bathroom is a little small but it wasn’t bad at all. Easy to operate heat/radiators, but no central heat. Didn’t use the AC because it was cold out. The place was very clean and had a lot of personal touches that give the space charm. Really wonderful vibe.
Hardwood floors are lovely! She says to remove your shoes to protect them, but you will want to walk on these in your bare or stocking feet. Brought a wonderful warmth to the space.
There is an ELEVATOR!!! No walk up, take the elevator to her place! Nice change from other places I’ve stayed at in New York, and her neighbors are quiet and kind if you see the (you probably won’t see them much)...
The bed in the bedroom is a queen and it’s surprisingly comfortable. Both my fiancée and I enjoy different bed firmnesses and we both slept real well in her place.
Check in and check out were a breeze, keys were located in a secured/locked area.
Halima’s place is great if you plan to spend your time in manhattan, as the Q train is right around the corner (which gets you to Times Square in 20-30 minutes), plus there are a number of amenities right near her place, including a fruit stand, couple of restaurants, and a drugstore...
Halima is also easy to get ahold of, and was staying nearby in the event of an emergency.
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The Bad: this is me being real critical, but this may be a dealbreaker for some so its worth mentioning:
The Smell - we enjoyed it, so it didn’t bother us, but there is a faint/slight residual smell of incense and/or sageing...this might irritate you if you are especially sensitive to it, just a warning.
The Shower - the shower has very very low pressure. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being a trickle and 10 being a fire hose), this is like a 3 or 4. Luckily the stream of hot water was plentiful, but if you want a roaring jet of water, this might not be the place for you.
The Noise - Halima’s place isn’t on an especially busy street, but expect a fair bit of street noise. If you are used to sleeping in silence (or pitch blackness), this might not be the best place.
No TV - if you rely on flipping the news on in the morning, or staying in at night, be warned this place has no tv. But honestly, you’re in Brooklyn, go outside and explore!
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Overall, we found a great place that fit our needs, and it was warm, friendly, inviting, and accommodating if we wanted to go out or if we wanted to cook or stay in. We highly recommend this space and we will definitely try to stay again next time we are in New York!