Staying with Alex is a great option for a female solo traveller. Alex is a warm and accommodating host who communicates quickly whilst being flexible to your needs (ie check in/check out). She offered museum passes and even had a corner of NYC books/ other goodies to use during my stay.
The apartment is slightly small (no surprise for NYC!) and the bathroom felt cramped. However, the bedroom you will stay in has a comfortable bed, great pillows and more space to walk around. Location is also ideal, great links to different boroughs as there are many subway stations close by. Definitely worth a stay for your first trip to NYC!