When you receive your confirmation email from True there is a little section that states that while…read moreyou may pass some pretty sketchy neighborhoods on your way to Macon Manor, this area is not scary. Let me tell you that this is truth. On our way in during dusk I was sure the Internet had tricked me and that I would certainly die here, but when the light of day broke I found that this is the cutest neighborhood I've ever been to in NY. It's all families and kids and smiling people sweeping leaves in front of classic looking Brooklyn homes.
Our first night in Macon Manor (we stayed in Apt 4) followed a similar pattern. When we arrived my nerves were shot from driving in and out of rush-hour NYC traffic and so when a doorknob totally fell off in my hands when I was trying to turn it I was certain that this house would fall apart around me. Yet, upon waking up in my super comfortable bed I found that this apartment is great.
There are lots of pros to Macon Manor. By NYC standards this place is basically a castle, there was ample room for the five of us, and having a kitchen and a dining table really made it feel like home. The location could not be better, a very simple ten minute to the A and C trains that take you straight into the Manhattan. We used Uber a lot when coming home late at night and the drivers never had any trouble getting here. One can tell that they do take cleanliness seriously. The linens are clean, no weird smells. The blanket on my bed had one small, suspicious stain on it, but that was it. The dishes were also very clean and we were happy to cook and use what was available in the kitchen. The toilet and sink were also safe to use, which I found to be a valuable commodity here. There is also WiFi, which was great when it worked, but unfortunately the connection was pretty spotty where we were, but we were really only here at night so it wasn't too big of a deal.
That being said there were a few things that we had to adjust to. First of all, the shower is nuts. Upon first touching the handle it the shower it just popped right off! It can be put back on, but the danger of it falling off was always there. In addition to that the shower itself was full of surprises. Perhaps this is a characteristic of these style of apartments, but when someone below us was showering the water pressure and temperature just did whatever it wanted to. One moment it would be fine, and then all of a sudden it would get so hot that you would cry out to your god and try to simultaneously get away from it while getting enough to turn the temperature down. Then two minutes later the water pressure would give up completely and shut off, leaving you starring in your own ten second episode of "Naked and Afraid."
With all the charm that comes with a 125 year old house you also get all the noises and maintenance issues that come with a century of wear. The apartment is in renovation however so hopefully many of those little things will be addressed.
While the neighborhood is fairly quiet most of the night, when there is a siren or a particularly unpleasant human blaring music down the road at 2am you WILL hear it. Also there is a clock somewhere (I never actually located it, but judging by the sound it makes it's roughly the size of a volcano) that chimes on the hour. It is kind of nostalgic and nice, but not when it kicks off at 6am.
Finally, there can't be enough nice things to say about True. Prior to our arrival he provided a lot of helpful information through his website and other emails. He responded to all of my questions in a timely and courteous manner, even when he was out of town for a part of our stay and when I emailed him at like 8:30pm. I never met him in person, but those in our party who did said that he was very nice. It is clear that he takes a lot of pride in his establishment.
All in all Macon Manor is a great place to stay, with all of the charm and quirks of a house that's over a century old. I would definitely recommend this rental to a friend looking for a place to stay in New York.
