We stayed at John's flat for 9 nights in November. We had a fantastic time and the apartment was a great base to explore the city. The neighbourhood felt safe and was well connected, we used the 6 and the L train frequently, both within 15min of the apartment. There are also buses and cabs back in the evening weren't expensive.

Most nights we ate locally within a block or two of the apartment, Gruppo's Pizzeria round the corner is great and the Japanese restaurant next to the apartment was also nice, although be aware customers sometimes stand outside the apartment window at night talking after their meal.

The apartment was comfortable and functional. The kitchen is enough to cook a basic meal and prepare breakfast. The free coffee was nice too - thanks John! There was enough storage space on the rack shelving and we kept our suitcases under the bed. There is cable TV and the wifi is pretty decent. The mattress was comfortable, but the bed is on wheels and we found the locks didn't hold that well which meant the bed moved when you tried to sit up and lean on the wall. While we were there the shower head was not fixed to the wall so we had to hold the shower head to have a shower. The shower is in the middle of the room with two shower curtains, and a curtain seperates the bed from the rest of the room. Its a cosy apartment but its fine if you are a couple or sharing with someone you're pretty comfortable with. As a guy, my partner found shaving was a bit of a problem as there is no mirror above either the kitchen or bathroom sink.

John was a great host, and was accommodating to our arrival and departure times. He also changed the sheets and towels during our stay. He was friendly and always said hello if we bumped into him, as well as keeping in contact through airbnb.

Overall we had a positive experience. New York is an amazing city and this is a good base to explore.