We had a great stay at Eli's apartment! It is like all the photos that are shared and Eli is very flexible and happy to help. He helped us leaving the luggage in advance of the check in time and he asked during our stay if everything was OK.
For a large group of people the place is very comfortable. Kitchen has the basic things to prep a quick meal.
You will have Utica station a couple of blocks from the apartment which enables you to arrive to Manhattan in 30/40 mins. Take into account that late night not all the subway lines work with the same frequency so you might need to combine with more than 1 line (which also imply more time).
Although the place is near subway station, neighborhood is not the most friendly (for visitors). It doesn't have markets near in case you are arriving late.
You need to ensure that you are back home only to sleep or to buy all the things you will need in advance (water, milk) b/c there are no markets opened if you are arriving late. Eli was a great host and his apartment is very comfortable for large groups!