Melrose Hotel

The rooms themselves were spacious, comfortable, clean, and had good shower pressure. Staff were polite, and they let us drop off our bags early. The subway is very close, but the neighborhood felt rough: we saw people who seemed to be on drugs, wandering around and yelling at pigeons. That's a real tradeoff. After a long day, we went to bed at 9:30 Friday. Someone in the next room was shouting, stopped for a while, then woke us again. The front desk did nothing after our first call. We called back 20 minutes later and someone was finally sent up, but the noise continued. At midnight staff offered us another room instead of removing the guests who were screaming, harassing the front desk girl, and had a dog. We packed everything, moved downstairs, and got a few hours' sleep in a smaller bed. There was no compensation for the lost sleep or smaller bed. I just wanted to get through the weekend; the new room was fine, so I let it go.

For around $100 a night, the hotel itself is clean and comfortable, with modern finishes. Being right by the subway is convenient, though the street is busy and dirty, with quite a few vagrants. That's what I'd expect in this part of NYC. It's good value, but I wouldn't bring kids here, and tourists who can afford Manhattan may prefer to stay there.

The front desk staff were super nice and made the stay feel welcoming. My room was clean and modern. It was a little smaller than an average hotel room, but not unusually cramped for a budget place. I was in NYC for a quick work trip and chose Melrose Hotel for its competitive price, good guest reviews, and closeness to the MTA subway. The station is nearby, with trains reaching pretty much anywhere in the city. You do see more poverty up close in this part of The Bronx, which can feel uncomfortable. To me, it's also a visible reminder of the growing inequality across America, especially in big cities like NYC. I'll be back.

Jessica at the front desk made check-in easy and pleasant. She was kind, professional, genuinely helpful, and went above and beyond to make me feel welcome. Her positive energy really stood out. Jermaine also deserves a thank you for helping with my bags. He was attentive and kind, and made that part simple and stress-free.