Far and away THE BEST home share experience we’ve ever had! We were in NY for a long weekend in order to attend a friend’s wedding. It’s tough to find a location in Manhattan for four couples and we were incredibly fortunate to find Alan’s property. He (and his sweet pup Henry) greeted us at checkin and gave us the tour of his beautifully renovated property. Honestly, the pictures don’t do it justice. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that he had just recently added a second shower, which was a big asset for our group of 8. The kitchen was gorgeous, modern, and spacious. Since we had four couples and used the two “living room” spaces as bedrooms, the kitchen became our main hangout space and easily/comfortably accommodated our large group. Alan lives upstairs and was readily available to answer questions, help us with show tickets, and even brought us bottled water (while it seems like a simple gesture, it’s those small touches that truly made the difference). From start to finish he was accommodating and welcoming, and we truly felt at home in his place.
I will say only two of the bedrooms are traditional bedrooms, while the other two are living rooms (the upstairs living room has a pocket door and could still be closed off, while the downstairs living room was flanked on either side by the two bedrooms). Our four couples have traveled together several times and the layout worked perfectly for us, but if you’re traveling with a group where everyone prefers to have their own private spaces this may not be the best choice for you. (I would still encourage anyone to overcome that need for complete privacy because this place is absolutely worth it!)
The location in Harlem is fantastic. It’s a great neighborhood, easily walkable to many amenities and close to subways to go both downtown and up. We highly recommend a visit to “Harlem Nights” bar, and a restaurant called “Ruby’s Vintage” - both within two blocks of the house. We also thoroughly enjoyed “Act III Bagels,” which was less than a ten minute walk.
Alan and his home truly are the gold standard by which we will all measure any future home shares. I encourage anyone visiting NY to stay in this beautiful home and enjoy Alan’s unparalleled hospitality.