My stay at Larissa's place was a very pleasureful week in New York. The apartment was exactly what the pictures showed: clean and organized. Being there in person showed off her chic style. The trash cans were empty and there were clean linens waiting out for us (myself and a friend) after a long day of adventure.

For getting into the city, the apartment isn't far from the G, L, and M trains. Larissa provides a guide of places to eat, drink, and shop both through Airbnb and in a notepad at the apartment. Even without her suggestions, I was able to find amazing places to eat and drink just blocks away. Contrary to popular belief, there are very cheap places to grab a bite to eat in New York. Being here made me feel like a local. The neighborhood, though not seemingly the safest at first glance, gave us no trouble no matter what time of day we ventured through its streets.

The early summer heat, well out of her control, did become a bit unbearable after the first two days of our week stay, but Larissa on her own account made it a point to tell us how to keep the temperature tolerable without A/C. The trip up the stairs also wasn't my favorite, but it definitely made my calves look great.

Larissa's personality was the highlight of the trip. She was always sending text messages to help us out and made friendly suggestions. She was there to listen to our concerns, if any, and was even quick to answer the phone on the first day of our arrival.

If you're planning a summer trip and can bear the heat, I recommend Larissa's apartment for your stay. If you can't, maybe finding a place with A/C might be better. Any other time of year (probably late fall, early winter) and Larissa's apartment would be a dream. She was a wonderful host and I hope to stay there again in the future.