My boyfriend and I very much enjoyed Roosevelt Island and this beautiful apartment. We can't recommend it enough to anyone staying in NYC and hoping for a more local and sociable experience than a hotel.
Svetlana is an excellent host. Her and her son were incredibly accommodating when we had transportation issues getting into NYC from DC. We were well behind schedule but she was very gracious. Once we were settled we were encouraged to feel welcome in their home and to treat it as our own. Svetlana developed a fast rapport with us, and we enjoyed having our morning coffees with her in the living room, discussing our histories and our plans for the day.
The apartment is exactly as it looks in photos. It is full of art and light. And has a great view of the East River and the Queensboro Bridge. If you are a fan of modernist architecture and the architect Josep Lluís Sert, you'll appreciate the design of the building itself, as well as the avant-garde layout of the apartments along the shared corridor. I was geeking out.
Our room was cozy and clean with a window overlooking one of the building courtyards and a bit of the East River. It is a bit removed from where the hosts sleep, so you have a fair bit of privacy. Our bed was comfortable and easily accommodated two people. The bathroom was clean and all the dials and knobs were easy to figure out. I liked especially the water pressure in the shower, and the 'rain' showerhead. We were given plenty of towels and washcloths.
Roosevelt Island itself is lovely. It is comprised of several apartment complexes built at different times and in different styles, but all along one main street called, appropriately, Main Street. There are restaurants, a bodega, grocery stores, a post office, bars, a library, a church, and a police precinct within easy walking distance. There are parks scattered all along the island, and around the edge of the island there is a continuous footpath along the East River offering incredible views of Midtown Manhattan (and an especially good view of the UN Headquarters). At the southern end of the Island is the Louis Kahn designed "Four Freedoms Park" and the NYC campus of Cornell University. Most of the buildings aren't that old, but there are some older historical structures that have interesting histories.
The location of the apartment is ideal for getting into Manhattan or Queens. The island is served by NYC Ferry to Astoria, Long Island City, Lower Midtown, and Wall Street; the Roosevelt Island (aerial) Tram to Midtown East; and the F Subway to Central Queens and Midtown/Eastside Manhattan. Our vacation took us from Harlem to Lower Manhattan to Flushing to Astoria to Midtown, and with the number of transit options available, I never had a problem reaching any of my destinations in a reasonable amount of time.
My boyfriend and I would definitely stay here again if we are back in NYC. This is one of the best Airbnbs we've ever rented.