Our first trip to NYC and eventually decided on an apartment after checking out the eye-watering cost of Hotels in Manhattan, makes London look a bargain. Always the positives first. The apartment was roomy and more than adequate for our needs, clean and with all the facilities you would want. Wifi was fine but lacking in TV channels for America, most places you stay have dozens! CNN would have been nice. Good coffee and bagels just over the road and pleasant bar/restaurant right next door. Central Park just a block away, the subway probably a brisk 7/8 minute walk. Only one line goes up the East side, which is a bit limiting. The cost was OK, certainly not a bargain but bearable. Locale is fine, on the edge of the very ritzy Upper East side with some amazing mansions on Madison and 5th Avenue.
Not so good? Up 3 flights of stairs so beware if you have serious luggage. As mentioned by others, key collection is on 5th Avenue and a good 12/15 minute walk away from the apartment, not easy with bags. Madison Ave is noisy but to be expected really, but the delivery trucks and rubbish collection people are out and about very early indeed. Do not expect a cheerful welcome, there is no person to person contact at all. Everything done by email and phone if you have to. Instructions are precise but hardly welcoming and accompanied by a long list of things that are strictly not permitted, accompanied with the appropriate sanctions if you are in breach! Check out is 10am and bags can be left until 12pm and absolutely no later. A request to extend this to 2pm (we had a late flight) was met with a flat no.
I am probably being a little unfair here as the apartment was fine and I would use it again if I needed to be in the vicinity. That said when they say Upper East Side they are not kidding; Downtown is some way away. Recommended with reservations.
