Moon Hotel Brooklyn

The clean towels were a plus, and the room’s AC unit blew right onto the bed. That’s about where the good points ended. The mattress had a deep, awful dip that I kept rolling into, and the mini fridge didn’t work because its door seal was broken. The bed had no headboard and sat under a window, so sunrise shone straight in my eyes. Street noise went late into the night, and I could hear everything in the hallway too. There was no hairdryer or ice, and the room walls were all banged up. They clearly didn’t care how the place looked.

I knew the room would be small and have few amenities for what I paid, and that part was honestly fine. The neighborhood was the real problem. I’m white and was traveling alone, which felt like a big mistake. I didn’t feel safe coming back after dark, and it really hurt the trip because I couldn’t comfortably be out at night. Even walking to the subway one morning, I felt as if everyone was watching me and waiting to rob me or worse. I’d pay more to stay in Manhattan. I won’t be back.

After a long trip, all the hassles here piled up and made every interaction dreadful. I paid over $200 for one night, which just wasn’t worth it, and my partner didn’t want to stay another night. If you’re driving, I wouldn’t recommend this place. You’d better really love your travel companion, since two people will be squeezed in like a phone booth, especially in the bathroom. It’s a motel with hotel prices. Parking was terrible. There’s a lot behind the hotel that seems perfect for guests, but it isn’t for you. Out front there’s two hour parking, or you can pay $35 a day for a 24 hour lot. It only takes cash, and the employee didn’t speak English, though he was a nice guy. The rooms might look cozy in photos and could perhaps work at the right price for one person who wants a place to sleep within walking distance of things and isn’t driving. Otherwise, it’s a major inconvenience. The room was so small that two people with three medium suitcases couldn’t sort their bags and get dressed at the same time. There’s a little fridge but no free water. I couldn’t take my supplements, and I was too exhausted to go out for a drink, though the receptionist seemed to sell them behind the counter. There’s barely any privacy. The door has no seals around the edges, so hallway conversations carry into the room. Light shows all around it, and there’s a draft from the door as well as from the large window. The bathroom was the worst part. The issue wasn’t cleanliness, it was the absurdly tight size. When you open the door, it leaves about five inches of clearance by the toilet. You have to maneuver around the door to reach the toilet or the shower behind it, then you can close the door. The tiny sink sits lower than my thigh, and I’m 5ft 8in. You have to bend way down to spit into the shallow bowl, and the mirror overhang makes rinsing your mouth tricky. Water splashes everywhere. To clarify, I’m now at a different hotel with more space and amenities, and its sink is just as low. The difference is that it has a countertop that sets it away from the mirror, giving more room to use it, and the bowl is twice as deep, so water doesn’t splash out easily. Hopefully that makes the challenge of using the bathroom at Moon Hotel clearer.

Moon Hotel is a strange place. If you only need somewhere to sleep for a night or two while visiting NYC and don’t plan to spend much time in the room, it could suit you. The walls are incredibly thin, and people come and go throughout the night. There’s also a distinctive smell throughout the room and building that they should fix. For a basic place to crash at night, it’s pretty decent.