Ian's place, located in The Lower East Side, is surrounded by amazing restaurants, shops, bars, and more. Check-in was a breeze and Ian was very responsive to my questions before and during my trip.
One thing to note when staying here: You are staying in a private room in an apartment with other roommates who share the space, including the living areas, kitchen, bathroom, and balcony (I met three of his roommates personally, but there were others who worked through the night and slept during the day).
The bad news, as other reviews have mentioned, is that the space isn't exactly sparkling clean; it definitely feels lived in. Expect shoes strewn about, utensils left on dining tables, a fridge full of 'stuff,' well-used showers, dirty sinks, etc. One thing I had to get used to personally was the fact that I was staying in someone else's room--This meant that there were already clothes on the hangers and in the dressers. The shoe rack was already full.
My advice? Don't expect a hotel.
The good news is that all of Ian's roommates are AWESOME and were very helpful in terms of giving me recommendations for places to eat, see, and do throughout the area.
And there is a TON to do...I spent very little time in the room.
I had an amazing time exploring the surrounding areas and also using it as my base of operations to discover the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and more via jogging, Ubers, and easily accessible subways.
After exploring the city, It was nice to come 'home' to a quiet place to lay my head. East Village, although busy, is not as busy as say Midtown. Therefore, it was relatively easy to get in and out of. This really was the perfect hub to explore the city at large.
Bonus: The grocery store located across the street has surprisingly reasonable prices, so I was able to stock up on waters and other amenities whenever I needed them.