marie works 12-hour shifts as a nurse, so you may not get a chance to meet her. i did, and she's a lot of fun and a great storyteller! despite her job, she was very good with communication. she lives with her family, so you might get to meet some of them as well. the key is in a lock box, which is easily done as long as you notice that the # key on lock boxes is at the bottom left, not the bottom right like it is on phones.
"serenity space" is an appropriate name for the place. it's on the third floor and the sounds of street life didn't reach it. a gentle breeze came in through the back window looking out on the courtyard, which was quiet and unoccupied when i was there.
it's a beautiful old classic new york walk-up, nicely decorated in a classy but friendly style. i found myself imagining what the place was like in its heyday. it's been very nicely restored.
there were lots of interesting restaurants to choose from, making me wish i was visiting for more than just the weekend. there was even a whole foods store nearby, which tells you a little something about what harlem is like today. the subway was a 10-minute walk away, and the triboroough bridge was very close, making it a reasonable trip from an to laguardia airport.
it's also just a short walk away from the amazing National Black Theatre,, which is why i chose this place. if you're looking for a nice place to stay in NYC for a great price, and you don't mind having to travel to get to midtown (which is my usual NYC destination), this is a wonderful place!