We stayed with Cristine over the Columbus Day holiday weekend of October 12-14. Cristine gave us a a cheerful and helpful welcome. When we arrived to NYC earlier than her check in time she graciously allowed us to drop our bags off there so we didn't have carry them around all day with us. We also appreciated that she appeared to change her schedule to accommodate having more than one person using her very small bathroom.
We have some suggestions about how the overall experience might be improved for future guests.
First, the listing could be clarified. The headline suggested the location was “by” Central Park and the subway when, in reality, the subway was three and Central Park was five “long” New York blocks away. Also, the listing suggested that both the bed and sofa bed were in the same room. They are not. The sofa bed was in the tv/entertainment space which she had to pass through to get to and from her room. Greater clarity would help future guests make decisions and know what to expect.
Second, the bedding could have white (not gray) sheets, pillows that were not worn out and the bathroom linens could include at least one wash cloth. White sheets on beds will reassure future guests that everything is as clean as it should be. Flat, beaten down pillows really don't function any longer (we went out and bought one and contributed it to the benefit of future guests) and washcloths are really a necessary requirement in self-care.
Third, put a small bench or chair out in the hall for future guests required remove their shoes. We totally understood and empathized with Cristine's desire to minimize floor scuffs by asking guests to remove their shoes before entering (the floors are really lovely). But if you are going to ask people to remove their shoes in the hall, adding a chair or small bench would be a very hospitable thing to do. Not all future guests are going to wear kick-off shoes and not all future guests will be comfortable or able to stand on one foot or sit on the stairs while removing their shoes.
Fourth, don't just welcome future guests, make room for them. Cristine (rightly) asked that we not use her toiletries (and we would not have anyway) and provided a bar of soap for us to use. But except for the soap holder in the shower, there wasn't any room for any other toiletries. The bathroom has glass shelves on the wall. Clearing one to allow future guests a place to put toiletries would allow them to not have to bring everything with them every time they showered.
Finally, have a small guide to neighborhood restaurants, venues, and businesses that travelers might need. In other AirBnB's where we have stayed the hosts have provided a short list of names, addresses and phone numbers of nearby businesses that they have found worth patronizing. This both helps the owners promote their local businesses and keep money in the neighborhood as well as help travelers who might be overwhelmed by all the different possibilities offered by a place like New York City.
We found two places, Malii Thai Kitchen, 2028 2nd Avenue 212-289-2729 around the corner from Cristine's and Effy's Kitchen, 1567 Lexington Ave (212) 427-8900, a few blocks from Cristine's and up one short, steep, hill. Both were small places, with very friendly service and really good food.
Finally, staying with an owner in her rather small New York apartment with only one bath is never going to rival staying in a hotel, but we believe that these small changes will go a long way toward improving future guests' experience.