I strive to be a positive person and it troubles me to write this sort of review. My friend and I were traveling to New York for first time ever. We usually would have stayed at a hotel or motel but we stumbled upon this listing and initially thought it reasonably priced, and decided to give it a try. It was definitely not what we expected.
The check-in process was fairly streamlined, not much different than other airbnbs I have experienced. The room itself was fine, containing a twin/twin XL bed with an optional floor mattress. There was a closet for personal items. It was a tad troubling that the room's door locked only from the inside so we were not eager to leave our personal items within the room in our absence but often were not left with a choice.
The kitchen was another story. The fridge and adjoined freezer had limited space. Obviously there are residents living there and it is a shared space so we did not expect much, but there was hardly any additional space for anything of ours without moving around the items that were already in there. The microwave at first was abnormally dirty as if it had not been cleaned in some time, especially considering the thorough cleaning Airbnb recommends. After a few nights, it was cleaned ever so slightly which I did appreciate and take note of. As for the listing stating "guests can use anything in the kitchen," this is incorrect. There were no cups or utensils clearly labeled for airbnb guests to use. Instead, there were notes on utensils stating "NOT for airbnb guests" and cups were nonexistent which was honestly unfortunate since one of the host's selling points was complimentary tea and hot chocolate for airbnb guests. There was a shelf with 4 plates that clearly stated it was for airbnb guests' use, and that was all we were left access to.
The living room is attached to the kitchen area. The TV was not functional once during our stay. I did not bother to inquire with the host as to having it functional because it was not of huge interest to me, it was just another note of my stay.
I would presume there are 4 rooms for residents and guests accordingly. I was understanding that other guests would be staying within the apartment, that the apartment was a shared space, none of which was inherently an issue. We were not notified if/when other guests would be coming and going which would have been courteous information to have been shared. While we were staying we would wake up to abhorrent noises outside of our room such as overly loud footsteps and keys seemingly being thrown around. It is unknown whether it was another guest, tenant, or the host.
On our final night of the stay, we were locked out of the apartment by another guest. Obviously, this is no fault to the host. The host was actually very helpful in helping us get back into the apartment, responding within just some minutes, but it was definitely the final straw of our stay. We left far earlier than check-out time because it became too exhausting to remain within the residence. We switched to an earlier flight and peeled out early morning.
Overall, the stay was not entirely miserable. There is only street parking available which is clearly listed on the airbnb page, though it was sometimes stressful since we were not familiar with that sort of environment. I would say it is in a fairly desirable location. While we rented a car, we ended up walking to many authentic restaurants and bars nearby because they were within a reasonable walking distance.
Though I do not intend to visit New York again any time in the near future, I would not personally book here again. Above, I have stated merely a personal account of my stay and it is in no regard of malice toward the host.