We enjoyed an easy and comfortable Christmas holiday week in Ferris's Harlem flat, with just a few small reservations.
On the plus side, the flat is cozy and secure, and the location is truly great both for tourists (my wife and son) and for former residents who are looking for a different take on New York City (that would be me, in this case). The flat is in very close proximity to some of Harlem's finest restaurants, offers quick and easy access to excellent grocery stores (Pioneer is less than a block away, and there is also a Whole Foods within five blocks), and the MTA options are outstanding too (the subway station at 125th and Malcolm X Boulevard offers the 2 and 3 express trains, and there is good bus service along both Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard). Also, the neighborhood itself is a joy to explore, especially in my case as when I lived in NYC in the late 1980s it was thought to be a truly dangerous walkabout for non-residents. Virtually without exception, everyone we encountered in the neighborhood was friendly, forthcoming, helpful, polite, and patient.
We did have a few gripes, all with regard to the flat's kitchen amenities (and all of which I expect can be easily remedied). For instance, the dishwasher does not work as the door cannot be closed (because, we were informed, it had been pushed too far under the counter). We resorted to washing our dishes by hand, of course (we are game travelers!), however this provided to be quite difficult due to extremely low hot water pressure in the kitchen sink. Also, the plastic water distribution arm in the coffee maker came apart in my hands when I first went to use it (I rigged it to work, but this is something that will no doubt plague future users until the the mechanism is replaced). Finally, the kitchen setup could do with a few knives for food preparation (using a steak knife for chopping and slicing is a fun exercise once, but over a longer stay this becomes somewhat demoralizing).
Ending on a positive note (and our experience in the flat really was quite a positive one, in a great many ways), Ferris was very responsive to all of my communications both before and during our stay on West 129th Street. Her instructions for getting into the flat were perfect and very easy for jetlag-weary travelers to follow.