Definitely recommended, both host and apartment. What we liked best about Patty's studio: it's very spacious and gets a lot of light (in fact, there's also quite a view!). The large room provides you (unusual for most of Manhattan) with a lot of space for your luggage or shopping bags. All in all, it’s a great place to come home to. You can cook your own meals or get a coffee from the Chinese bakery downstairs, listen to music (Patty provides an iPod docking station), and get a good night's sleep on either the mattress "upstairs" (beware that there is a ladder) or the sofa. We also found it to be very quiet for New York, bare for some funny radiator noises. Also appreciated: lots of linen, towels, hair-dryer, good water pressure. The one small problem we had was speedily fixed by Patty (thank you). Last but not least: Chill, friendly vibe in the building.

Design-lovers might care to know that Patty's loft studio is a perfect example of the vintage/industrial trend. A balanced mix of comfortable (extra blankets) with intentionally unrefined materials (hardwood floors, tool kits). I loved it, and found it especially fitting since the building is located where the Lower East Side and Chinatown merge: an area that is also not conventionally "pretty", but all the more exciting with its restaurants, bars, galleries, people-watching opportunities. Be sure to ask Patty for suggestions on where to go. She has some great tips – and we’re now obsessed with "Joe's Shanghai" and the "Fat Radish". So yes, you can easily hop onto the subway and get to the usual tourist spots, but the neighborhood itself is definitely worth checking out.