02/21/2011

VRBO Bear stayed here:

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Welcome to NYC! This great apartment is centrally located on the Upper West Side, a perfect location if you are looking for more of a genuine New York experience vs. staying in the typical tourist hot spots. Just a quick walk down the street to the subway and you can go anywhere you would like within minutes. Only a few blocks to Central Park.

I was amazed by the dozens of restaurants to choose from right on our street. There is even a nice Asian place just downstairs. Great pizza on the corner too.

This updated and modern 2 bedroom unit has a great set up for your stay in NYC. The kitchen is fabulous with its upgraded cabinets and stainless steel appliances. I loved the interior window from the kitchen to the living/ dining space. The original exposed brick walls add a fun and unique appeal. The bed was super comfortable and made for a great night sleep. The unit is simple and functional. It was a great place to come home to after a long day of sightseeing.

I was provided with everything I needed to make it a great stay. This apartment is fully stocked for traveling guests. A great fit for a single, a couple or a small family or group of friends.

One of my favorite parts of this apartment was working with the owner “Khris.” He was extremely helpful, kind and was always quick to respond to any question or need. The booking process was quick, easy and honest.

Manhattan is a fantastic place to visit, and staying in this location will add great memories to your experience.

I LOVE NYC!
The VRBO Bear

The VRBO Bear

• So much better than a hotel

  So much better than a hotel

  • Guest Paul
  • Date of stay 04/18/13
  • Review Submitted 04/23/13
  Great place in the family friendly neighborhood. The beds and linens are very comfortable. Kitchen and bathroom are recently redone and of top notch caliber. We stayed with our two kids and wouldn't do it any other way again. Even street parking is free (if you have the patience to find it). Highly recommended. My only constructive criticism, and this is coming from an art dealer, is to put more art on the walls. Amazing what a few artworks can do to an interior. Thanks Khris. We'll be back

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, families with young children, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• We were very pleased

  We were very pleased

  • Guest Steve
  • Date of stay 03/27/13
  • Review Submitted 04/05/13
  While we were searching for a place to stay on our recent trip, Khris was very responsive to our questions. He met us when we checked in and was very helpful. He gave us a tour of the area (supermarkets, etc) and even helped us figure out how to use the subway system (which was a big deal for us as we live in Texas where there is no such system). The place was clean and well taken care of in a superb area of the Upper West Side. I had read the one negative review which was an obvious concern but this was not my experience at all. Was the apartment perfect? Of course not. If that is what you are expecting, the Waldorf-Astoria is highly recommended. There was one problem with the wireless router, and Khris fixed it promptly. This type of minor issue is to be expected in a residential setting. If you are expecting a guaranteed perfect place, a hotel is the way to go. If you are looking to save a little bit of money and stay in a reasonable place where the owner is motivated, responsive, and attentive than I think that you will be pleased. We were. If we stay in the area again I would be happy to stay there again.

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, families with young children.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• We couldn't have asked for a better place to stay in NYC!

  We couldn't have asked for a better place to stay in NYC!

  • Guest Woodward Family1
  • Date of stay 10/04/12
  • Review Submitted 10/10/12
  My friends and I visit New York every year in October. We've stayed in hotels and apartments all over the city and so far this was our favorite. We had six women in our group this year and everyone felt at home. The apartment was clean and well stocked. The beds were very comfortable and we felt like we had plenty of space, especially compared to staying in a hotel. The kitchen isn't huge but it's very well done and had everything we needed in terms of appliances and cooking utensils. The Metro was extremely convenient and the neighborhood is filled with fantastic food choices, all of which were reasonably priced. It was also nice to have a Whole Foods and CVS nearby. I would highly recommend this apartment for anyone traveling in a group that would require multiple hotel rooms. You won't beat the price.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, tourists without a car, families with teenagers, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• Perfect location and perfect service

  Perfect location and perfect service

  • Guest Dominic R.
  • Date of stay 06/03/12
  • Review Submitted 06/20/12
  Everything about this apartment was perfect. From the level of service from Michael & Khris to the location. The apartment is very neat & tidy and situated in a lovely neighbourhood with plenty of places to eat and drink. The subway is less than a 2 minute walk away and is on the express (2&3) lines which is very convenient. The apartment itself feels very secure and so does the neighbourhood. We will defintely be using this apartment again in the future.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Great apartment

  Great apartment

  • Guest Melissa C.
  • Date of stay 04/12/12
  • Review Submitted 04/18/12
  There were 5 women in New York for a special weekend. The apartment was perfect! Great location - near lots of shops, restaurants etc. The owner is very helpful and showed us around the neighbourhood, gave us advice on the subway etc. The apartment is clean, well equipped and the beds are comfortable - what more could you ask for! Thanks. Melissa

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Disappointed

  Disappointed

  • Guest dcfamily
  • Date of stay 02/24/12
  • Review Submitted 04/01/12
  After all the good reviews we thought we had found a gem and actually were very disappointed. Dust, cold in winter, and no light, in addition to being treated a “liar” by the owner... We were very excited to come to NY and to stay in this apartment. We really wanted to like it. We like this neighborhood with its stores, restaurants and attractions. Staff is nice, including the owner until we brought to his attention all the issues. That’s when he became defensive. The rental did not meet normal expectations. When we arrived the apartment was cold as several windows were open (in February). We closed the windows, plugged 2 small heaters we were given, and left the apartment. When we came back after dinner, the circuit had blown. Staff was kind enough to come quickly on a friday night and bring the light back but not everywhere. No light in the dining area for the whole weekend. Few of the outlets were working so we had to test them all before we could plug one small heater which barely kept the place warm. The second night was cold again. Additionally, the floor was dusty (one just had to look under the sofas or near the radiators to see dust) and the covers of the comforters were not spotless. While we think that the apartment is very far from "hotel standards", technical issues can happen. But what really got us was the attitude of the owner. When we highlighted all these defects, the owner responded that he “was doubtful of the veracity of our statements", did not apologize, and told us that if we did not have electricity it was because “we blew the circuit” when we tried to plug 2 heaters (given by the staff) at the same time due to the cold (like it was our fault). The owner states the apartments are managed like a hotel - so we had expectations. We were disappointed. Not a bad place, but so many things made us NOT feel at home that we thought about leaving after one night. But the hassle of looking for a new place for 8 people against accepting the reality of the place for another day so we stayed. We still don’t understand how the owner got all the good reviews. Were we particularly unlucky? is this an oversight? we would have then at least expected some apologies and not this attitude.

  Owner response: Unfortunately, this goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time. I've had thousands of guests stay in my four apartments over the past 5+ years, and I've gotten two bad reviews. This guest apparently had a bad experience (it happens) and I DID APOLOGIZE, I just didn't agree with everything she listed. I didn't call this guest a "liar", I merely said I thought some of her complaints were exaggerations, and she confirmed them as so after a few emails. For example, "several windows" were not open when she arrived -- one window was slightly cracked open (probably by my cleaning lady to diffuse the smell of cleansers). Of the 18 apartments in the building, no one else complained about the apartment temperatures in the building, as I keep it at about 67-71 degrees F throughout the winter. I also provide electric space heaters to my 4 furnished apartments, in case they like it hotter. This guest happened to plug both into the same circuit, blowing the fuse. A simple flip of the fuse switch would have fixed it, but this guest instead called one of my employees over late at night to come and flip the breaker. I myself was on vacation, so I can't confirm or deny the "dustiness" of the apartment, although I have used the same cleaning lady for over a year and this would be the first complaint. For the record, I am sorry this guest had a bad experience at one of my places, but she would be the exception.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/9

• Christmas Conference in NYC

  Christmas Conference in NYC

  • Guest MBrown
  • Date of stay 12/08/11
  • Review Submitted 01/30/12
  Very convenient apartment- stay for a week in December with 3 adults an infant and a toddler. Everything was exactly as described on the web site. Khris seemed a very pleasant host and took me on a quick tour of the area for restaurants, laundry, subway etc. No complaints what so ever.

  Recommended for: Families with young children.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Great location

  Great location

  • Guest voldoc
  • Date of stay 10/15/11
  • Review Submitted 10/24/11
  Comfortable apartment located on busy street in Manhattan. Easy to book and owner available by phone if needed. Less than one block to subway 1/2/3 and two blocks to subway A/C. Close to central park. Great takeout options were Asiakan (located in same building as apartment) and Pio Pio (Peruvian food, big portions and delicioous). Great bagels and coffee around the corner at Corner Cafe. Tried Indus Valley several blocks down Broadway, worth the walk, delicious Indian food at a good price. Grocery and liquor store one block away. Pros of apartment - comfortable beds and couch, nice dining area, kitchen well stocked, location Cons - apartment facing street (can be loud at night), no hand towels Would stay again for sure, fun staying in neighborhood out of touristy areas!

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, tourists without a car, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Good location, comfortable, value for money

  Good location, comfortable, value for money

  • Guest Sean
  • Date of stay 09/09/11
  • Review Submitted 09/24/11
  Took a 5 day stay with my family of 5 (parents, 2 brothers) Excellent location (a block away from a friend's place), excellent transport links and conveniences nearby. Close experience to living like a New Yorker Despite being on the 1st floor the place was fairly quiet Would recommend and will stay there again given half a chance.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, tourists without a car, families with teenagers, families with young children.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Wonderful~Authentic NYC Rental

  Wonderful~Authentic NYC Rental

  • Guest Tom
  • Date of stay 07/23/11
  • Review Submitted 07/29/11
  It would be difficult to find a more honestly represented rental apartment. The pictures and description are very accurate and Khris is a wonderful host. If you are looking to rent for a vacation, in my opinion, this is an excellent choice. My wife and I, as well as our three teenaged children were very happy here. The proximity to groceries, restaurants, deli's and neighborhood shops makes everything easy. The subway is a very short walk for any tourist destination. We actually ended up spending a good deal of time in this upper west side neighborhood. It is also an easy walk to Columbia University. I will, without reservation, recommend this to my friends and family.

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, adventure seekers, tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

$450/night
$400/night .. (7-13 nights)
$350/night .. (14-20 nights)
$300/night .. (21-27 nights)
$250/night .. (28+ nights)
$600/night .. (Holiday fee. Discount does not apply for amount of days)
$500 Deposit which will be returned upon departure

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.