Excerpts (freely translated and edited):
Iwanowski's USA-Ostküste, Reisebuchverlag Iwanowski Dormagen, "... perfectly run/administered B&B in Brooklyn."
Margit Brinke - Peter Kraenzle, New York City, Reise Know-How Verlag Bielefeld, "... The Strange Dog Inn - a very special tip."
Two cats black, and grey, by name "Moo Two" and Puff"; - and a female dog of rather unidentifable breed called "Hope", a refugee from the Kosovo. They live with Paula and Gail at 51 DeKoven Court. Nice houses with two or three floors, surrounded by lots of green, are lined up in tree-lined avenues. Walking down the streets the atmosphere is more similar to a small town in the country side than a neighborhood in NYC. But the biggest plus is that you are not quite 30 minutes away from downtown Manhattan by way of the "Q" subway line.
The metal plate on the front door announcing the "Strange Dog Inn" is very modest. More eye-catching is the flag far up on the guest floor. Paula and Gail decided some years ago to rent out to guests the former children's quarters covering the whole third floor, below the attic. Thus, the "Strange Dog Inn", a B&B in the center of Brooklyn, was born, and since then a flag signals the nationality of the current guests.
When it comes to accommodation in a metropolis like NY there are in general only two alternatives: first, recommendable, extremely expensive luxury hotels, or second, lousy but also quite expensive, mostly loud and unfriendly chain hotels. What a comparatively superb place you can get in Brooklyn ... a separate guest floor, a calm, secure, cozy atmosphere, and being well pampered by nice hosts.
At the most four people traveling together are hosted. There is a TV set and a telephone, a very well equipped separate "kitchenette" (with comp drinks) and a big private bathroom. In the first floor living room guests are always welcome and they are also allowed to use the computer and fax machine if necessary. But that's not all: The rate includes a Metrocard for unlimited metro and bus rides during the whole stay (which saves a lot of money), and a luxurious breakfast. Paula is a passionate cook, a chef trained at the French Culinary Institute of New York.
Paula is a real New Yorker, having her roots in the Bronx, Gail came over from the wide prairie of North Dakota, and has been living for many years in the City of NY. Both resided in Manhattan's SoHo and are extraordinarily knowledgeable regarding places and very clever in advising guests where to go and what to do.
The piles of up-to-date NYC information in the guest floor, heaps of brochures, magazines, newspapers and travel guide books wouldn't be necessary at all because Paula and Gail are always there to give advice. And last but not least there are also the "strange animals," who are more than delighted about each hand petting them.
Information and bookings:
Children under the age of 12 years of age are normally not hosted in the inn. Bookings well in advance are recommended but it's possible to make tentative reservations without paying in advance.
Children under the age of 12 years of age are normally not hosted in the inn. Bookings well in advance are recommended but it's possible to make tentative reservations without paying in advance.
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