St Marks Hotel

I’d stay here again if they ever replaced the beds. The price was good, the rooms were very clean, and the location put us right in the middle of Manhattan. It’s easy to get around, with plenty to do in the neighborhood. Weekend noise can be a lot, so bring earplugs. We were traveling during graduation season, when hotels were $200-$300 above their usual rates, and I appreciated that this place didn’t seem to take advantage. The rooms are very small, a little worn, and basic. As a couple, we struggled to get ready in the tight space, though a solo traveler might be fine. There’s no kettle or similar item, and I found the bed extremely uncomfortable. Housekeeping did a great job, though. If you mostly care about cleanliness and will be out all day, it should work well.

The location is wonderful, right next door to a 24-hour bagel cafe and pizza place with lots of food options, and a couple of blocks from CVS, Wegmans, and the subway. Even so, I would never stay here again. There’s no elevator, so you have to carry suitcases upstairs, and the front desk doesn’t check who comes in despite the hotel being open all day and night. Our room was cold with only a small plug-in heater. There was no hot water, the sinks leaked whenever we turned on the faucets, and there were no tissues or dresser drawers. When we asked for an extra blanket, the one they brought had four or five holes in it. You get what you pay for.

For the price, this is a good place to sleep while you’re out during the day. It’s clean, which matters most to me, there’s always hot water, and nobody bothers you if you’d rather be left alone. The location is excellent, with the metro nearby. The hotel and furniture are old, so don’t expect five-star amenities or wellness facilities. The dated look and old furniture are why I stopped at four stars.

The area is great, with a ton of good restaurants and shops. This is a cheap, no-frills place to sleep, and that may be all you need. The walk up to the room is exhausting enough that you might not care much about the room quality by bedtime. There’s a bit of a moldy smell, and it’s definitely not the cleanest hotel, though our room was clean enough. The stairs were a killer, but we could leave extra bags on the check-in floor, which was still two flights up. The walls are very thin and it’s a busy area. Water eventually gets warm, and the beds aren’t especially comfortable. You get what you pay for.