Although we never actually met Shahar, we communicated very effectively by email, and he was extremely responsive and prompt whenever we had a question. He was thoughtful (e.g., leaving a laundry card, laundry soap, a metro card, hangers and space in the closet, and coffee), and his apartment was comfortable and looked just like the photos. The two air conditioning units (in the walls, not the windows) were quiet and very efficient. The windows look out onto an air shaft or inner courtyard so it's hard to see what the sky looks like, but hey, this is NYC, so we expected that. (It's actually a bigger inner courtyard the then place we rented last year!) The bed was extremely comfortable--and we're picky. What was really nice is that there were lots of dishes and glasses, so we were able to have dinner "at home" with friends rather than going out to eat every night. The location is absolutely fantastic, the building is really nice, and we would definitely go back to Shahar's apartment again. It was a very good experience, and he was a wonderful host.