What an absolutely delightful experience. I apologize in advance for a bit of gushing, but I feel it is justified. Rarely in life does the reality exceed the advertising, but this is a great example. I was in NYC for a half marathon and I brought my family along. It was my kids' first trip to the city and my first Airbnb experience, so a lot was riding on the whole thing.

Let me get the easy part out of the way: the apartment is simply amazing. The photos simply do not do it justice. It is a lovely space with fantastic city views on two sides. We found it to be comfortable and quite spacious for four people. All of the amenities are just as described and the building itself is really charming with friendly doormen and neighbors. It was clean and well supplied with everything that you would need for your stay.

I want to highlight the location for fellow runners as it offers incredibly easy access to the park, where so many events start or end. And public transportation is nearby for everything else in the city. The surrounding area is of course well stocked with shops and restaurants, so if you do not feel like travelling you can stay close to home and still enjoy a nice meal.

Most importantly, we found Alex to be an absolutely incredible host. From the time that we first inquired about the listing all the way through the end of our stay Alex was extremely responsive and attentive to our needs. He provided a very detailed and easy to read manual that explained everything. When we had questions, Alex would always respond quickly with a polite and friendly answer.

As an Airbnb newbie I can't help but get the feeling that I have now been spoiled for future stays by this incredible experience. If you are lucky enough to find this location available for your next visit to NYC then do yourself a favor and book it before someone else gets a chance. You will be glad that you did!