Erika’s place was exactly what I wanted, and exactly as advertised. The price is amazing. The bed is very soft. I would love to have had a longer stay.
As others have said, there is a lot of street noise, particularly Saturday evening. I wasn’t in NY to sit in my room, so the only time it was annoying was bed time. It’s a lot quieter at night. My solution was to turn on either the range fan or AC fan. The white noise helped me tune out the other sounds.
I thoroughly enjoyed the neighborhood. It felt very safe to me, and I didn’t hesitate to walk around even at night. Everything you need is nearby. Banks, fast food, other restaurants, laundry, groceries. One grocery just over a block away is open 24 hours. Need a papaya at 3 in the morning? No problem!
Transportation is handy. There’s a subway into Manhattan a block away. This station is the end of the line, so I witnessed workers sprucing up the trains there. It’s pretty great getting on a freshly cleaned subway car. The other way I traveled was subway from midtown Manhattan then a bus to the house. The stop is right on the corner. That same stop will take you directly to JFK if that’s your airport. It’s a little more to LGA but it’s not too hard to figure out with Google maps or the Transit app. This is more of a general NY tip than specific to this property… pay attention to MTA service alerts, especially on weekends at night. Track maintenance can alter routes and schedules, causing delays and/or confusion. I got messed up a couple times, but was able to make it back ‘home’ every night. If you’re really lost, ask a booth attendant for help. The one time I really needed it, the info I got was spot on and got me to my destination.
The kitchen is fairly basic, but you’re not in NY to cook big meals are you? I used the kitchen to make breakfast before heading out for the day. Then some nights if I felt like an affordable nightcap I made myself some mojitos. All with ingredients I bought at the local stores.
I didn’t meet the hosts or the other tenants. There are some dogs living here, but they are in another section of the yard. I heard an occasional friendly bark, but someone was always there to shush them. Good dog parents make for good dogs ! I met the dogs through the fence and they are super friendly.
The bathroom is basic and small. It does the job, but I don’t think I’d like it if I was a large person.