TLDR: Very accommodating and attentive host. Clean and spacious apartment. Area is close enough to walk to the big attractions (Central Park and Times Square). Lots of public transport options close by. Location is a little bit out of the city centre, but in its own little neighbourhood with bars and restaurants up and down the street. Perfect location.
Detailed version:
Ahmed is a great host. Felt like he was there and present the perfect amount. It didn’t feel like he was interfering too much, like some hosts can do, but answered any questions we had about local restaurants etc and gave us tips when we needed them. It didn’t feel like he was structuring our holiday for us, but instead let us decide what we were doing and if he had any relevant information/tips, he would let us know.
The apartment was great for us. Comfy, clean and spacious, the flat was perfect for what we needed. Had all the amenities, although we didn’t use the cooking facilities that much as we ate out most of the time. There are a wealth of bars/restaurants at the end of the street, so you’re never more than a 5m walk away from a bar or restaurant. If noise is a concern for you, we couldn’t hear any of the street/bar noise from the apartment.
We walked to Central Park a lot, which is only about a 15-25m walk. It’s nice to walk when you’re new to a city such as New York as there are lots of buildings and things to see. By the end of the holiday we opted to take cabs and public transport to further parts of the city, which we found affordable and easy to use.
I would definitely recommend staying in his apartment. We looked into hostels and hotels before we thought about Airbnb, but the price was more affordable, in a more desirable location and we got the extra local knowledge. Ahmed’s experience in the city and Airbnb shows in his incredible service and apartment, from check in to check out.
5*