As a host myself, I know how important reviews are for the health of a listing, so I hate to leave a less than stellar review. But as a guest, I am drained by being catfished by listings and I wish guests were more honest about their stays. In an attempt to provide valuable balanced feedback, here are my pros and cons:
Pros:
-Communicative hosts who seem like genuine people who want you to have a good experience. Accommodating to MULTIPLE packages I had delivered.
-Location. Walking distance to some restaurants and stores like Walgreens
-Wonderful bed. The main queen bed is memory foam and very comfortable as people describe. The mattress in the closet/half bed is not the same quality, a bit more on the firmer side.
-Great water pressure in the shower
-Window AC unit in the bedroom and living room
-Basic ergonomic office chair in the bedroom for work from home
Cons:
-This does not seem to be a legal 2 bedroom. It is essentially a 1 bedroom with a second bed INSIDE of the large closet. Yes, there is a door that closes and a window on the closet room, but we weren’t able to close it because it’s too small for any ventilation. I would not recommend this for two adult friends. While the hosts mention in the listing that it is 1.5 beds, and that you go through the main room to get to the smaller room, to me the photos and description didn’t fully convey the set up. I don’t think this should have been in the 2 bedroom category on airbnb.
-Deferred maintenance. For example, the closet has fallen off the hinges, the ceiling fan in the bedroom is missing bulbs (only 2 of 4 work), chipping paint in multiple places. There is an overall dinginess that is not reflected in the photos.
-Although many NYC apartments are like this (I lived in Brooklyn for 10 years myself) the 3rd floor walk up stairs are extremely steep. Be very cautious, especially if you have if you have any mobility issues. Stairs also have some deferred maintenance (ie some of the laminate pieces are taped on, etc.)
-The place was clean but didn’t feel deep cleaned. For example bed was fresh and common spaces were wiped down, but there was an overall layer of dust and grime on baseboards, windowsills, AC units etc
Overall, for the price (we paid around $299 per night), I would not stay here again. Lovely hosts but overall very disappointed with my stay.