As a first Airbnb user and guest, Nate and Stefanie are really welcoming hosts! :)
The neat thing about it is their dedication to making guests feel like they're at home. I must admit, by the end of my three-week stay, I was used to it so bad I wish I would stay longer to facilitate my friendship with them! I couldn't go out to some outlets with them and build up our friendship because I was very busy setting up my new life here in New York, but even then we had high spirits between one another.
When you come in to this hosting, there isn't too many rules to follow. As long as you use your common sense and follow the etiquette here including respecting the space and amenities, you're pretty much yourself and can take advantage of some freedoms. They encourage you to chill out and get used to the NYC ecosystem, whether it's work, shopping out at Trader Joe's, or enjoying the weather. At best, they also try to make the place as comfortable as possible.
I mostly have small things to note here about the hosting and place. It's not perfect, but it doesn't mean it's a bad place at all; I think it's well-deserved.
- I think the cleanliness can be improved slightly. For instance, coming from Toronto, there's no organic waste collection. Also, the shower liner had to be replaced once, but it was done very quickly.
- The laundry card machine in the basement only takes bank notes / bills. It doesn't take credit or debit cards.
- You only have the key to the unit and the FOB to access the building and some rooms. If you have envelopes mailed to this place, you need to ask the host to get them for you.
- There's no dining tables in the common area to sit down and eat, but you are entitled to eat while relaxing on the couch or even on the work desk, which is a slight plus.
- As the common amenities are shared, you have to take turns with the hosts on the bathroom and kitchen. That wasn't a problem for me at all, as I have flexibility in my job; it's more if you are very time-sensitive to work, meaning you need to establish a schedule with the hosts.
- I stayed in mid and late April, where occasionally in the mornings, I was cold. However, it had to do more with the outside weather and having the windows and vents open throughout the night so that we wouldn't use the AC units and waste electricity.
In summary of my entire experience, this was so neat. If you're looking for a place to stay in Central Brooklyn not far away from a subway line and some good places to hang out, enjoy the weather and sights, or eat out, this place is for you!
Even the hosts decided to buy me a crumbly chocolate peanut butter chip cookie from Levain Bakery in Williamsburg, and I thought it was the sweetest thing from the hosts! Trust me, if you're up for relationship building and want to learn more about New York, you definitely should get along with them!