Midwood Suites Brooklyn

For the price, it was a comfortable and safe place to sleep in Brooklyn, and the room was clean. I booked the morning we needed an overnight stay because the location and cost worked for us, and I already knew from reviews not to expect anything fancy. It's a house converted into separate rooms, tucked into a residential area with no sign out front. There's no reception desk; you get entry codes and a key locker code, plus a phone number to call if you need help. The people answering were helpful each time. The room was basic and not especially new, but about the same size as the room at the four-star hotel where we'd stayed for four nights.

I only stayed one night, and the place fell well short of basic comfort. The backyard was full of rubbish, including mattresses. On the third floor, pigeons were an issue: scratching sounds in the ceiling woke me, and little flakes of ceiling paint came down. The walls were so thin I could hear other guests talking from bed, even with a room and bathroom between us. Check-in was virtual, so I called, gave my name, and got the code for the key box.

I found a live waterbug as soon as I entered my room, the air conditioning didn't work well, and the upstairs hallway smelled damp. When I told the owner what had happened, they seemed barely concerned. I asked to move rooms, but was offered my money back instead, with no attempt to work something out. I wouldn't recommend staying here, especially with children. My refund took four business days: I was there Wednesday and got it the following Tuesday.

The room itself was fairly decent, and the location is good. But I stayed on a very cold fall night and there was no heat at all, all night. I froze, and there was nobody around to ask for help. After that, the room didn't feel worth what I paid. I'd only suggest this place to someone who was really in a bind.