The location description is entirely accurate, and I had a great three days staying with Gil. I arrived relatively early in the morning, and even though he still had a guest present, Gil offered to take my luggage up for me a few hours before check in. The apartment is in a great location in the lower east side, close enough to a metro station, and within walking distance to plenty of great cafés and other amenities.
I felt very safe walking around the area, even at night, and on my own. Gil was also very helpful in providing recommendations for sightseeing and getting about the city, even without me asking! He is delightful to talk to, and was very sweet about asking how my day went. Overall a great place to stay, and I'll probably find myself here again when I next visit nyc