Todd is an excellent host and his place is quite extraordinary! The apartment is loaded with interesting art, fantastic vinyl records and ways to enjoy them, a washer/dryer, and very effective AC. Those last two were essential for a week in the city when the temps were quite high. We often returned from a long day pretty worn out, hot and sweaty, and ready for showers and clean clothing! There is a beautiful, albeit rather old, cappuccino machine that cranks out delicious espresso so the mornings were awesome. There is a also a large, lovely patio (very rare in NYC) in which to enjoy it. It was a tad steamy after about 10AM, but in the mornings, this was very nice.
The only downside about this apartment is its location. It's not a great neighborhood - you won't want to eat, shop, walk etc. in the immediate vicinity for any reason. It is a good 15 minute walk from any train station in any direction, and with the heat, that was a hardship. Just outside the apartment is an array of public housing and a proliferation of loose, stinky garbage, dog poop, rats, clothing and furniture strewn about, and homeless people. Walk 4-6 blocks west and it gets better, but you're in the thick of it just outside the door. The only grocery is on the corner of Ave D and 6th St. about 50 feet from the door and I don't recommend going in there after dark. The only positive aspect of its location was the proximity to the East River. There is a bike rental location right outside the door. We rented bikes, navigated them over the FDR using the pedestrian bridge 1 block away, and cycled all the way to the Battery where we caught the ferry to Liberty Island. That took about 20 minutes - on the train it would have taken an insane amount of time because of the distance to the trains on both ends. The cycling was also just fantastic. You cycle along the edge of the East River, passing the Williamsburg Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, and taking in the sights along the way. It was spectacular and a highlight of our trip! The green-way is also not in NYC traffic so it felt safe and we didn't have to dodge taxis etc. We didn't feel safe cycling in the traffic with no helmet etc. so we stuck to the bike-only paths like the East River Green-way.
Once inside the apartment, it is very lovely. The furnishings are comfortable, the beds are nice, and the appliances are all high end and work well.
Overall, I would say this was one of the nicest apartments I have ever rented in NYC. If it was better situated in a better neighborhood, I suspect it would be a lot more money. We enjoyed our stay and recommend Todd as a host as he was wonderful.