Flushing Regent Hotel

I ended up finding another hotel, and its front desk staff were much nicer. At this place, the woman checking me in was rude from the start. I’d booked three weeks ahead and had already been charged, but she insisted there was no booking in their database. I could see a paper with my name on it and asked her to check the pages, but she only shuffled through them and said I wasn’t there. Then she raised her voice, basically told me to leave, and said to sort it out with the booking company. Never going back.

The worst part was waking up at 8 a.m. to a stranger opening my room door. The hotel had checked them into my room because they forgot I’d booked two nights. I was scared and confused. At the desk, they just kept saying it was a mistake. There was no refund or compensation, and since I’d paid for both nights upfront, I couldn’t book somewhere else. The room smelled strongly of cigarettes, even though the hotel has a no-smoking sign. When I asked to switch, the receptionist said he’d forgotten to tell me that my floor allowed smoking. He said it probably wouldn’t be too bad, and that a non-smoking room would cost another $140. I ran the air conditioning and opened the windows to clear the smell. It wasn’t the main issue, but it was really unpleasant, and I wish the site had said guests needed to request a non-smoking floor. I paid $260 through Priceline for two nights, which felt like a lot for the rooms and service. The place seemed more like a motel. It may be the cheapest option in Flushing, but I’d advise spending $100 more for somewhere nicer. I wouldn’t return or want anyone else to deal with this.

The WiFi was terrible, and the front desk staff weren't friendly or helpful. I managed to get by because I speak Mandarin and Cantonese and could negotiate with them. The basics were covered, though: clean room and bathroom, heating and AC, a closet, and a bed with clean sheets. For the price, it was okay.

The room was furnished as cheaply as possible. The old mini-fridge had dents and could barely fit four 16-ounce water bottles. Parking felt dangerous because the entrance is so narrow, and the sign says small cars only. There were a few parking spots on the first floor, but the front desk said they were only for the boss and managers, so customers had to risk driving SUVs or vans up to the higher levels. This was far worse than I expected. If zero stars were an option, I’d give that. Wouldn’t recommend it.