Carter

The room was quiet and cozy despite the commotion outside, and the Wi-Fi worked without any trouble. Staff were sound and gave me lots of tips. I'm from Norway, and the location was spot on, less than five minutes from Times Square and the theaters, so getting around was easy. The price was decent, much lower than many nearby places. A good choice if you want to be in the middle of things without spending a fortune. I'd recommend it.

Back in the 80s, 60 Minutes covered the Carter in a segment on New York's “welfare hotels.” Some floors were for tourists, whose rooms were much like the spartan rooms there today, aimed at travelers on the tightest budgets. On other floors, welfare recipients were living in tiny rooms, six or more women and children together, with cockroaches everywhere and horrific dark walls covered in mold. 60 Minutes tried to raise these problems with management, but they refused to respond or act. I strongly recommend avoiding the place, if only to hold management accountable for years of negligence. They don't deserve anyone's business. It ought to be torn down and rebuilt, if only to bury that past.

A good place to stay if you like NYC and Times Square. There's no parking at the hotel, and the paid lots nearby are expensive.

I stayed two nights the weekend before Christmas after reading the other reviews and was impressed. This isn't a luxury hotel, but it did what I needed: gave me somewhere to rest after a long night in the city. The room smelled clean, the bed was comfortable, the bathroom was clean, and there was plenty of hot water. No bed bugs for me, and the staff were pleasant. There’s also a cozy cafe with inexpensive breakfasts. Right in the middle of Manhattan, it felt worth every penny, and I'll definitely stay here again. I think some of the negative reviews were exaggerated. Thanks, Hotel Carter, see you again soon!