Desmar's place is conveniently located near 149 St. and Grand Concourse, which takes you to Manhattan in 15 minutes. The neighborhood is quite pleasant and quiet and there are several shops around, including a mall. Although I didn't get to meet Desmar, his communication was great, as he checked in to see how everything was going.

The place, however, is a bit dusty and unclean. My friend had allergic reactions and wasn't able to sleep during our stay. The stove wasn't also working and the shower knob was broke. The Wi-Fi was also nonfunctional. These in aggregate made our weekend getaway a bit of a downer.

I informed Desmar of these problems and he assured me that he's going to fix them, even offering me a free night stay next time I'm back in the area.

Overall, this would be a good place for someone who is looking for a cheap place to stay near Manhattan and in NYC in general.