This was not the right place for me for a long term stay. While other guests seemed to have had a positive experience, I experienced several safety concerns that made living here alone not ideal, particularly for several months.
The biggest disappointment for me was that after communicating my concerns (#1-3 in the list below) within 24 hours of checking in, and asking to move out earlier mostly due to worries about safety, their immediate response was that it was "absolutely not possible." Given that Corporate Housing, the host, has several other properties, I imagined there would be some flexibility or even the option to move to another location. It was very stressful to feel unsafe in a longterm space, particularly at a time when we’re home almost 24/7, and it was disappointing how inflexible the host was.
After several tense messages back and forth, they ultimately let me remove just one month from the reservation. I ended up moving our early anyway and wasting several thousand dollars in rent in the process. Funny thing is that even after all these messages about safety concerns and how I’d be moving out ASAP, they actually messaged me a week before the official end date asking me if I would like to extend my stay…
The issues were as follows:
1. Safety around the Airbnb - not sure how this area was pre-pandemic, but as of summer 2020, there are often people hanging out on the street in various levels of intoxication. Groups of people will sit on the step directly in front of the door. The worst moment happened the day I moved in, where I was aggressively catcalled right in front of the Airbnb. As a woman living alone, I did not want this individual to know where I lived.
2. No COVID-19 protections - not only are the folks hanging around the building/street maskless, but mask wearing inside the building was low. I'd estimate ~25% of people wear masks. The few maintenance folks I saw there never wore masks inside, and that is the primary reason I did not push harder for fixes for broken items in the apartment. I also wish I’d asked for more details on cleaning procedures before move-in, as I would’ve liked to know if the cleaning crew were taking precautions (masks/gloves). Given what I saw of the cleaning crew while I was there, it seems unlikely.
3. Broken items - These are less of a big deal, but not great for a longterm stay. The biggest problem for me is that the mailbox doesn't lock, meaning anyone can access your mail. I experienced a lost package on the first day I arrived that I had pre-ordered. I let the host know on day 1 and they say they would fix it, but they never did. Within the apartment, the cabinet in the kitchen was not connected to a hinge and almost crashed down on me the first time I tried to open it. The sliding closet was stuck/broken as well.
4. Noise/Smoke levels - as of summer 2020, this is one of the neighborhoods in NYC where fireworks often happen at night, on weekdays, anywhere from 8PM - 2AM. Marijuana smell levels can be high throughout the day in the building. Sometimes it was strong enough for me to smell inside my apartment.
On the positive side the apartment itself is a good amount of space for one person. The pictures capture the space well, though it should be noted that the couch has no support (it's all springs). Otherwise, it's nice to have a dishwasher and laundry in building. They also let my friend see the space before I moved in. However, this was during NYC lockdown, so the building and neighborhood were completely empty when he came. I’d recommend checking out the area first before you book. Personally, due to the safety issues and inflexibility of the host regarding these problems, I would not recommend this place, particularly if you're like me and living alone.
Note: if a longterm reservation is altered at all, Airbnb can't help you cancel the entire stay even if you alert them within 24 hours. Don't make the same mistake I did.