Stara's home is located in an awesome cross-section between SOHO, Little Italy, Chinatown and Lower East Side. This was the main reason we chose to stay here during our visit. The location alone is perfectly convenient--3 subway stations are all within a 1-3 block walking distance from the home, the Spring St. Station, Price St. Station and Broadway/Lafayette Station.
As stated, there are wonderful restaurants just right outside of the doorstep, as well many more within blocks away. I couldn't have been happier with the location. This alone, was the deciding factor on choosing to stay here.
For the property itself, yes, it is in an older NY building, with a creak in the floors, and a central heating system that heats the entire building. The apartment does not have an individual heating system that can be turned down from within the apartment. So you do need to open a window to get some cool air and circulation as it can be extremely hot in the winter when the heating system is on.
The bathroom is small as was clearly mentioned. The water, while the handles were switched as stated, that was not so much of a problem as much as the temperature. Yes, it does get extremely hot quickly, so be sure to set the cold water a little stronger than the hot water. On most days the water temperature rapidly changed, where the water would either turn very cold or very hot instantly. So just be prepared to shower quickly, or be sure to be prepared to constantly keep adjusting the temp throughout the shower.
Other than the bathroom quirks which Stara mentioned, the bed, pillows and bedding were all very comfortable. Slept well throughout our stay.
Stara's communication was wonderful, and she answered all of my questions within such a timely manner. She made it so easy for us.
Thank you Stara for opening your home to us during our stay in NYC. Your quick communication and perfect location made our stay a breeze.