Astoria is a beautiful area not far from Manhattan. The walk to the subway is not too bad, but it is a good 8-10 minute walk. We solely used the subway and found it was difficult to get back and forth in the day in a timely manner. If planning to do a lot in Manhattan, it would be better to stay there. We were also surprised as we felt the cleanliness of the apartment and the lack of fresh towels and blankets was unfortunate especially with 5 of us. The apartment would be perfect for 4 and maybe children sleeping in the living room but not adults. There were a few other deficiencies not worth mentioning while there for such a short time. I did email the host when we returned but have never gotten any response. For these reasons I would not recommend this apartment.