Essence Hotel

For a solo trip on a budget, this can be a useful Brooklyn option. It’s near attractions and the R train is a couple of blocks away. I’ve booked at the last minute a few times after flight cancellations forced a change of plans, and haven’t been disappointed. Solo women might feel comfortable here, which isn’t true of many other “budget” hotels in NYC. Families probably won’t: there’s so little space you’d be in each other’s way changing or using the bathroom. The rooms are tiny, barely bigger than the bed, but have a small desk, mini-fridge, single-serve coffee maker, and a clean bathroom with a shower and hair dryer. The window shade shows a scenic city view. Pull it up and the actual view is a little enclosed courtyard full of junk. Some rooms may face the street, but I haven’t had one. The building has some character, with shuttered businesses next door, an “Armed guard on duty” sign, and a glass front desk. The property photos tastefully leave out the bulletproof glass. Still, I’ve never felt unsafe walking around at any hour.

I’ve never stayed in a filthier hotel. There were more hairs and stains on the walls and furniture than I could fathom, and I didn’t feel clean for weeks after leaving. Staff were rude and clueless at check-in. The bathroom looked like the general contractor’s previous work must have been on the Saw franchise. I’d give more details, but I’ll get flagged.

It did the job, and the room felt relatively clean. Check-in and checkout were smooth, and service was friendly enough, but for what you get it feels pricey. The room was extremely small, the open shower door let water flood the bathroom a little, I couldn’t find a front desk number, and Wi-Fi didn’t work properly in my room. I also woke up in the middle of the night to someone down the hall shouting persistently for several hours, likely Klazomania. I’d be cautious about staying here.

The AC and heater worked well, the location was good, and the staff seemed to be doing their best. But I hope I never end up back there. The rooms and bathrooms were filthy and tiny, with barely enough room for the bed. Someone else’s hair was on my towels, and there was no shampoo or conditioner. The place had a genuinely scary atmosphere. There’s a sign on the door saying ARMED SECURITY GUARD ON PREMISES, and the front desk is behind bulletproof glass. Someone seemed to be living in one of the rooms, and management couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything about it. He blasted music for the whole floor, and in the middle of the night I heard sporadic, gut-wrenching screams, presumably from his room. Without a doubt, the worst hotel I’ve ever stayed at.