Oh my gosh...I know I am going to gush. I will try to make it brief. Let me start with our hostess...and I do mean the Divine Miss Nola. If you like little dogs with huge personalities this is the place for you. Oh...and the other hostess? E Vera turned awkward into lovely. I have never truly stayed in a place in which the owner lived and I was nervous. I remember having college roommates, and everyone was always using everyone's stuff and eating the cheese and drinking the last beer...on and on. I especially worried about sharing a bathroom. Though my husband may have used E Vera's washcloth and my son DEFINATELY got ill on E VEra's floor, she managed these difficulties with kindness and aplomb. E Vera is the personification of poise and when she says, "no worries" you know she is being genuine. So, what to expect? 1) You will go up 4 flights of stairs with your luggage so be prepared. 2) "No shoes" means no shoes (this is why the apartment stays clean 3) Ask about the coffee maker thingy. It took me 2 days to realize there was a tear in it and I could have saved myself the exasperation if I had NOTICED AND SAID SOMETHING. 4) If you need anything JUST ASK. My anxiety about taking up someone's space was ridiculous. 5) Sharing a bathroom is not complicated as E Vera was thoughtful enough to give a heads up when she needed it. 6) I totally dug the neighbors (that I met) and the neighborhood in general. The local grocery store on Lenox is FANTASTIC. So is the Harlem Ale House...I think they know my family by name now. 7) E Vera supplied the shampoo, conditioner, lotion, mouthwash...cool little perks like that. I would not have lugged all the toiletries from Nashville to Harlem if I had thought to ask. 8) The place is close to loads o' local action as well as the "2" and the "3" (that is my new hip subway lingo). It is also a 10-minute cab ride from Laguardia. Do be mindful if you take the 6...it is easy to go the wrong way. Anyway, it was perfect for my family. JUST REMEMBER TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED/WANT.