Aimee and I spent a long weekend in New York City in May. We both love art and wanted to see the Whitney Museum of American Art in its new Chelsea location. The new building has spectacular views of Manhattan. If you’re forced to visit (say, with a friend or partner), spend your time enjoying the views from one of the balconies or inside on one of the comfy couches overlooking the city.

In An introduction to NYC from Airbnb, I described my first Airbnb adventure in a $60/night room with a shared bathroom. This time, because I was sharing the expenses with Aimee, we splurged on an apartment on the Upper East Side. The apartment was on Lexington near 72nd. We passed dozens of expensive clothing stores and restaurants to get there.

The apartment was sandwiched between Swifty’s restaurant and Lexington Gardens floral/antique shop. The narrow glossy black door opened to two flights of steps and a 500-square-foot apartment. Two spartan rooms and a renovated bathroom. A teensy kitchenette with a small refrigerator occupied one corner of the front room. I figured this was the typical Manhattan apartment.

People spend thousands of dollars a month on such tiny living spaces, surrounded by elegant restaurants and clothing stores they can’t afford to step into. What’s it like to have those constant reminders as you walk to and from the subway every day?

Aimee and I walked alone from the Theatre District to the apartment on 10 p.m. Friday night. Businesses and even restaurants had closed.

The apartment was clean, quiet, and safe. Only $250/night. The tiny apartment in this sleepy area is fine if you rely on the rest of the city for food and entertainment. Visit Airbnb to take a look.

Stay tuned to read about my next Airbnb experience in Greenwich Village, one of my favorite areas in Manhattan.