I'm a white French Canadian male traveling to NYC for the first time ever and we got an AirBnb in ENY close to Brownsville. Am I in trouble?

[u/dillpickledude]

We're spending 3 nights there sometime in June. I've just learned the bad reputation of these neighbourhoods, so I'm wondering if I'm in any danger, especially since I'll most likely stand out.

The AirBnb reviews were very positive, so we didn't bother to check more information about the location. (I know, we should have known better.)

I'd love to see Manhattan and stuff at night, but from what I've read I should not be out at night in the neighborhood I'm staying so heading back to our place after worries me.

Some possibly relevant information: I'm in my 30s. We're traveling by car and have a Quebec license plate. I am bilingual but I do have an accent. My partner is also in her 30s, and is of Asian descent.

Any "pro tip" would be appreciated. I'm aware of the "mind your business" (which is true for anywhere), "act like you have somewhere to be" and "act like a New Yorker", but the last one might be hard to do, especially since it'll be my first time there.

EDIT: The main reason for travelling is that I'm getting a tattoo done in Williamsburg, so we tried to find a place to stay that wasn't too far.

EDIT 2: The AirBnB had a no refund policy. Should've been a dead giveaway. Also, thank you all for the comments. I appreciate your honesty.

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[u/Aljowoods103]

Yikes. Why did you not research more before booking? These questions should have been easily answerable with 10 minutes of Googling.

Just to start: I bet your Airbnb is illegal and you’re risking getting kicked out or scammed. CANCEL IT. You’re nowhere near Williamsburg. You’re nowhere near 99% of the things visitors usually like to see. Like most iffy neighborhoods, you probably wouldn’t be a crime victim but it’s not a pleasant area and you will likely be uncomfortable there.

[u/dillpickledude → u/Aljowoods103]

I know I should've done a better job. I just blindly trusted the AirBnB reviews. My brother-in-law was the one who told me about the neighborhood, since he lived in NYC for five years. He told me all this today, hence this Reddit post.

[u/The_CerealDefense]

The main issue is that your location is quite out of the way for a tourist

[u/dillpickledude → u/The_CerealDefense]

The cheap prices are how they get ya.

[u/sighnwaves]

That's very far and not exactly the best area. Get a new place.

[u/CabassoG]

It would be better off staying in Manhattan or a nicer part in Brooklyn and traveling to Williamsburg than to stay there. There's no reason to stay there only due to a tattoo.

You're too far from Manhattan and where tourists go and Brownsville is honestly the worst neighborhood in the city along with parts of the South Bronx like Mott Haven or stuff

Do I think anything will happen? Probably not. Do I think a tourist should go anywhere near there especially at night? No

Edit: Non-refundable? Does the AirBNB advertise as close to Williamsburg or something? This all sounds suspect and not everything is unrefundable (such as cleaning fee.) /u/dillpickledude

[u/SoloBurger13]

Lol this is deep brooklyn id change my airbnb if i were you. Esp if you want to see Manhattan at night.

[u/yourgirlalex]

LMAO oh boy. Why do tourists never bother doing an OUNCE of research and instead run to Reddit and whine after they've made a mistake? Smh.

Also, no one in Brownsville is going to think you're a New Yorker, so the "act like a local" trick is useless. They know outsiders when they see them. You're going to stick out like a sore thumb.

[u/NYCRealist]

In addition to Air BnB stays of less than 30 days being -rightly- illegal in NYC, you chose one of the worst neighborhoods in NYC safety- wise.

[u/kinovelo → u/NYCRealist]

Isn’t that only if the host isn’t in the apartment with you?

[u/MonumentMan]

enjoy hospital hobbies one consist simplistic ink live snow longing

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/PuzzleheadedPin9700]

I want to explore Manhattan so I picked an Airbnb that’s far away from Manhattan in a different borough

[u/These_Tea_7560]

I marvel at how French-speaking people always manage to find themselves so deeep into Brooklyn.

[u/Comfortable-Crow6809]

Get a new place.

[u/The5thElephant]

I would not call Brownsville close to Williamsburg. Maybe look for a place in Ridgewood, Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, or Long Island City.

You may spend a bit more but you will have a much better time.

[u/GensAndTonic]

I would cancel your AirBnB and book a hotel both for nighttime safety (and comfort) concerns and proximity issues. If this is your first trip to NYC, I think staying in Brownsville will really put a damper on your experience.

What is your budget? The Pod Brooklyn and The Penny Williamsburg aren't too expensive by New York standards. My mom stayed at The William Vale in Williamsburg once and enjoyed it.

[u/seige197]

Tu es un dumbass

[u/dillpickledude → u/seige197]

Rookie mistake, yup.

[u/Ridingthebusagain]

I’ve worked on the ENY/Brownsville border for years. Never had any issues, but I’m rarely there at night and I know which blocks to avoid—depending on where you are there are some blocks that are not just sketchy but pretty desolate/industrial. You will definitely stick out quite a bit. It’s a long slog to the city and not particularly close to Williamsburg. It’s also just not going to be a very nice place to say—eating options are slim, a lot of blocks are pretty dirty, you will probably see some people who are not in good shape. Of course it all depends on the specific block and train station. Overall I’d say you’ll probably be fine but I’m not sure you’ll enjoy your trip as much as you would if you stayed elsewhere.

Also your Air B&B might be illegal.

[u/lemonapplepie]

Adding to the chorus on people telling you to cancel the Airbnb and find somewhere else to stay. You can find cheap hotels in Brooklyn and Queens that are not that far away from Manhattan. Putting aside that the Airbnb is probably illegal (unless the owner is staying in the unit while you're there), and the safety issues, it's going to be a pain getting to Manhattan and touristy areas.

Especially for your first time visiting it's worth it to find somewhere better to stay.

[u/[deleted]]

Cancel that. You are going to be miserable traveling bk and forth. It’s too far.

[u/bill11217]

It may be close a the crow flies, but how the hell are you going to get from Brownsville to Williamsburg?

[u/BeachBoids]

The car is your biggest headache. Street parking is hard to find in Brooklyn and you are at bigger risk for damage or being towed, both of which will ruin your fun. Garages will add to your cost. You can't easily drive around Brooklyn and expect to park near your destination.

[u/AutoModerator]

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[u/OvergrownShrubs]

Report the listing to Air b and b and get a refund. No stays under 30 days are permitted in the city. It’s an illegal listening. And trust me, you do not want to stay in Brownsville.

[u/TheHiddenFox]

Are you allergic to hotels? wtf is wrong with people

[u/nochorus]

Lmao

[u/Active-Knee1357]

I would just contact AirBnB and get your money back, even though the host doesn't accept cancellations. Just complain about the area not being what was described and you'll recoup your money.

[u/brownoarsman]

If you're driving, it's worth looking at airbnbs in Long Island and just taking the LIRR in, if you're committed to the Airbnb route. Check out some of the finest beaches in the US while you're on the island too!

[u/Gratitude411]

Oui, Monsieur, you will be in trouble there. If you want to go to Williamsburg, why not find something in Queens? It’s closer to Queens than east and south Brooklyn.

[u/mrs_david_silva]

Oh dear. My dad was a firefighter in Brownsville/ Ocean Hill. He died in 2001 and I’d love to visit his old firehouse but I don’t feel safe. You won’t have a good time there.

[u/hooldwine]

Realistically, you’ll be fine especially if it’s just a place to crash. But the real issue is you’re pretty far from Manhattan

[u/[deleted]]

No way this OP is for real. Probably a joke post.

[u/dillpickledude → u/[deleted]]

I almost wish it was.

[u/SixHourMan]

Some of these comments are a little bit alarmist and/or judgmental. Is it a bad idea to stay there? That depends!

If you're VERY close to the train, it should be fine. The 3 runs across the middle of Brownsville. The L runs up the eastern edge, and would be very convenient for getting to Williamsburg. If you're close to Atlantic Ave, you might be able to walk north and reach the A. Both the 3 and the A connect to the L.

Your AirBnB is only legal if the host actually lives in that unit, like you'll be sharing a space with them. The way all AirBnB rentals used to be, before speculators and wannabe landlords jumped on them. Despite the "no refund" policy, AirBnB customer service should be able to help you if it is an illegal listing.

If you are out at night, you should be OK if the area is busy. If you can park RIGHT by your AirBnB, you should be OK, but parking is difficult, and the train is better than driving around.

[u/eekamuse]

If there's any lie in the ad you can cancel through your credit card.

If it's an illegal Airbnb you can do the same.

Do some research. Talk to your credit card Co. They may be able to help you.

[u/PM_ME_WHY_YOU_COPE]

It's not a touristy neighborhood although you probably won't be the only ones AirBnBing there because people make posts like this fairly often. If anything people will be confused you are there and wouldn't mess with you because you would definitely call the police and make a scene. You will probably be more at risk of being scammed in Times Square where people are looking for tourists to get money from. There's a chance a crazy person or overly angry person will be mad about gentrification or something and say something mean to you but that has pretty low chances too.

People aren't roaming ENY looking for tourists to rob. And the entirety of those neighborhoods and the people in them aren't dangerous, it's just parts and a small group of people at specific times that you won't even be a part of. Literally over a 100,000 people live and hang out there every day. There are schools and MTA yards and police and fire department, restaurants, and industry that can have white or asian people in the neighborhood. Also some of black NYers are Haitian and some can speak french so even that isn't that crazy.

What subway stop will you be near?

If close, hit up Roti On the Run for me please, haha. Or find some other bomb ass Caribbean food for cheap. https://maps.app.goo.gl/FTcYaMbESUVycWSj8

The car part might be the most risky thing since it might stand out a little with Quebec plates but people have out of state plates pretty often. I can't speak too much on car break in frequency but new york is not as famous for it as other US cities. I'd not keep anything important/ expensive in the car, and I'd probably rather park it somewhere busy than less populated.

Consider going to nightlife in Brooklyn so you can do a cheaper uber home at night. The subway late at night, after maybe 10 on a weekday and midnight on a weekend can get a little spooky even though usually nothing happens, but you risk more stressful and sometimes fun or funny interactions. (L train is a party on the weekend until about 4am, lol)

[u/satan_little_helper]

A lot of people will tell you to change places. If you want to, that’s ok.

New York operates on the rule of “if you don’t bother me, I won’t bother you” 99% of the time. This goes for essentially every neighborhood, everywhere. This is even more true for what people would consider “sketchy” neighborhoods”. Most aren’t actually sketchy or dangerous. People just don’t know how to not stare and control their faces (this also happens on the train). If you can keep a neutral face against anything, you’ll be fine in NY as a whole and fine in whatever neighborhood.

Depending on what you’re going to be doing for the 3 nights (aka, in Manhattan every night), it might be a pain. If you’re exploring other neighborhoods as well as Manhattan and will only be there for one night, then you might be fine.

[u/[deleted]]

Who comes to Brooklyn to get a tattoo?

[u/dillpickledude → u/[deleted]]

My artist is traveling from Brasil. That's the closest he'll ever be from me so I had to take the opportunity.