First of all, if your only prior AirBnB experiences have been outside of New York City, you have to understand that everything in NYC is compact, and that includes actual hotel rooms, which will not be as clean or affordable as this little gem. As with all NYC rooms, there are some caveats to consider, but these are caveats you're likely to find with any AirBnB in NYC and even hotel rooms as well: Parking will be a challenge, and the room is two flights up, so make sure you're not traveling with large items unless you don't mind hauling them a block or two and then up stairs. But I only mention these as forewarnings to those of you who have never been to New York, because you will encounter the same issues everywhere else in NYC too.
Veronica is a lovely host, and the room is very comfortable. I have a bad back, so I was delighted by how firm the bed and the pillows are. You will *never* be fortunate enough to find a hotel room with a bed or pillows this firm. Any hotel I've ever been in, even when I requested firmer pillows, nothing has ever close to the support I got from these pillows. As far as I can tell, the mattress is either a Tempurpedic or a comparable high quality, firm memory foam. Possibly the most comfortable sleep I've ever managed outside of my own bed. And despite the densely populated neighborhood, night time is pretty calm and quiet, no disturbances to disrupt my sleep.
The room and the adjoining apartment are immaculately clean.
The neighborhood is vibrant, with many dining options a stone's throw from the apartment. (I opted for Yemen Cafe, two blocks to the north on the same side of the street as the apartment, which I highly recommend if you like Middle Eastern food.)
And, if you are an animal lover, as I am, Veronica has three beautiful, wonderfully-behaved dogs. The largest of the three in particular took a shine to me so I got a chance to make a furry new friend with a very good boy.