This is my first time writing a critical review. But since I use reviews to decide where to stay, I wanted to be honest about my experience at Maytal and Ken's place.
Upsides:
–The home is really beautiful. The kitchen is spacious and well-stocked with cookware. The balcony is also really nice to have.
–The street is both lovely and quiet. And it's located in a great neighborhood with easy subway access.
–The stay comes with a washing machine, a dryer, and a dishwasher—all three of which make life easier while traveling.
–Maytal and Ken are conscientious hosts, and they were quick to respond any time I had a question.
Downsides:
–The beds aren't particularly nice or comfortable. I stayed in the largest bed, which was really just a large futon with a mattress topper on it. (It wasn't terribly uncomfortable. But given that the AirBNB is priced like a high-quality stay, I felt a little short-changed.)
–The AC is primarily window unit-based. This will probably be the case with many New York AirBNBs. But I wanted to mention it, because central AC may be a priority for some.
–There is only one full bathroom. This is largely out of Maytal and Ken's control. But again, I wanted to mention it because of the way the stay is priced. (You could get 3 large beds, 3 full bathrooms, and central AC for a similar price at some New York hotels.)
–There were 2 amenities issues during my stay. One of the listed amenities was not provided. When I alerted Maytal and Ken to this, they said they weren't aware and that they would fix the amenity after my stay. The half bathroom also had a leak during the last day of my stay, making 1 of the 2 toilets provided unusable. I understand that these things happen, but I was disappointed that Maytal and Ken did not apologize when these things went wrong (since both were fairly significant issues).
On the whole, I think the home and neighborhood are both beautiful. And I wouldn't have taken issue with many of the downsides listed if the place had been available at a budget-friendlier price. That said, I was looking for a high-quality stay (which is why I prioritized a stay with premium reviews and pricing), and I was disappointed with what I received.
I do want to note that I wavered on leaving a critical review, because Maytal and Ken were more on top of communications than any host I've ever stayed with. That said, if I had read a review like this when looking at AirBNBs, I would have booked a place that better aligned with what I was looking for. And I think everyone (host and guest) is better off when that happens.