The Good:
- Excellent communication! When we arrived, we found that the bathroom sink couldn't be used without water leaking onto the bathroom floor. We worked with the co-host, Sofia, who was very responsive and kept us updated on the work to repair it. She also let us use the household Wifi password since the guest Wifi wouldn't work.
- The apartment was clean and functional. There were no weird smells or sections that felt dirty. We saw only a couple of insects, and as someone who has lived in a basement apartment, I can honestly say that's a really good number.
- We were within walking distance of a couple of subway stations; transportation to and from other parts of the city was never difficult to arrange.
The Okay:
- The bed was uncomfortable enough that my travel companion slept on the sofa for the whole trip. The pillows were flat, pretty heavily-used, and seemed old. The sheets and hand towels were clean, but they had old stains on them from previous guests.
- You're gonna spend a lot of time on the trains! Most of our trips into Manhattan or other parts of the city took about 45 minutes.
- It is a basement apartment, so it can get musty and humid. We ran the AC when we were there and lit the candles. The AC unit can be very loud, but we got used to it enough that it didn't keep us awake.
Overall, this was an effective place for our needs. We mostly used the place to sleep and eat breakfast and clean up before heading out on a day's adventures. It felt a bit like a college friend's basement apartment that we were crashing in for a few days. As a first-time visitor to New York City, it definitely got the job done, but for future trips, I would definitely pick somewhere closer to the bustle of the city.
Recommendations for guests:
- Light the candles!
- Bring your own washcloths, toothpaste/toothbrush, and paper towels
- Open and shut the door quickly so that mosquitoes can't get in
- REALLY accommodate the train schedules; be ready to spend a good chunk of time on the trains
- Double-check the kitchen's amenities before you buy anything to cook, just to make sure they have the cookware you need.