Deluxe Inn & Suites - Long Island City NYC

We had a few odd reservation problems through Priceline, but the staff sorted them out quickly. The rooms have fridges, decent mattresses, and internet-connected TVs. They were small, but clean and comfortable enough. The neighborhood wasn't especially nice or bad, and the subway isn't too far away, with a quick ride into Manhattan. Some guests were noisy, and the rooms don't block sound well. Still, it was a good deal for the price, and I'd stay again.

I was there by myself and mostly just needed a place to sleep, so the small room worked out fine. It was clean, and they tidied it each day when I hung up the little room-cleaning sign. For the price, it's a good place, even if it's not a five-star hotel. I hesitated at first because of the safety reviews. Then I remembered living in New York. This felt like a pretty safe area to me, and if you need everything to look pretty, New York probably isn't for you.

The room was tiny but fairly clean, and the bathroom had been renovated in a mediocre way. That's about all I can say in its favor. There was no closet, hangers, ironing board, kettle, chair, or desk, just a TV, microwave, and fridge. The vending machine had no bottled water, and Wi-Fi stopped working around 11 p.m. until early morning. The place smelled strongly of weed from other guests smoking. Noise was constant, from people yelling and fighting in the alley outside to hotel residents shouting into the early morning. Police were called on both nights I stayed. There was no soundproofing, so sleep was impossible. The area felt extremely unsafe, especially at night. Housekeeping even tried to enter while our do-not-disturb sign was up, and the front desk guy wasn't helpful. Staff need more training. I wouldn't stay even for free. I wish I could give zero stars. This was a big mistake, and I wouldn't have booked if I had known the area better.

The owner and staff were really nice and accommodating, and the price was reasonable. The room was smaller than we expected, though it's New York, so what can you expect? The subway is close, which was handy. We were told the area was safe, but locals said it wasn't, and that was the one downside.