West Side YMCA Hostel

I really enjoyed my first week-long stay, and felt quite safe on my floor. The place works well for solo travelers or anyone who’s happy with simple, basic lodging rather than luxury. It’s in a great location, very close to a Target for late-night shopping. Facilities are good, with water fountains on the ground and fourth floors. A private room with a semi-private bathroom gives you a nice room and very good bathroom facilities. The shared bathrooms can vary and get busy. My shorter second stay was less comfortable. Several teenage boys on my floor were behaving badly during a school trip from abroad. They shouted and fought in the elevator, and hung around when I was trying to get to the bathroom. That’s why I think safety at the YMCA depends on who’s visiting and who ends up on your floor.

The location is the one good thing, but it didn’t justify the $300 we paid for such poor service. We booked a private room with a private bathroom, and it was one of the worst places I’ve stayed. The shower had no hot water, so we had to use the gym showers. There were no hair dryers in the room or even the men’s gym changing room, so my husband had to use a hand dryer. The room felt bleak, almost like a prison cell, and we had to move the furniture around to make it feel more like a room. The bed was very small, especially for my 6’4” husband. There was no care for the details. Even changing the flooring to carpet or something nicer would help. I’ve stayed in other hostels, and none were this bad. For the pool, bring a swim cap or they won’t let you in. Bring your own shampoo and conditioner too, since none is provided, even at the gym. The sauna and steam room were decent, but not properly cleaned. At the front desk, I asked a question and was spoken to as if I were stupid for not already knowing the answer. The staff clearly don’t understand customer service.

I was on a school trip to NYC and had to stay here. I would urge anyone traveling alone, or with another place to choose, to stay elsewhere. It’s the worst accommodation I’ve experienced. The room was small, dirty, and old, like a prison cell. Our window was broken, rusted, and chipped, with damaged glass and blinds, and it wouldn’t open. The heating and air conditioning were full of lint and mold. There were unexplained brown stains on the walls and desk lamps. The free WiFi dropped randomly and didn’t reconnect by itself, so we had to log in manually each time we came into the hotel. The first thing I saw when I lifted the blanket was a black hair on the supposedly fresh sheets. The double beds were unstable and squeaked loudly with even small movements. Most concerning, the keycard doors didn’t lock properly, so anyone could come into the room. The shared bathrooms were appalling. There were just three toilets and three shower stalls for 80 rooms, and they were never cleaned. The cleaning log on the door showed its last entry was months before our stay. The floors were always dirty and wet, with hair everywhere. The bathroom’s main door had a broken keypad lock and stayed open. One stall had no light because its bulb was broken, and there was a hole in the ceiling that exposed pipes and wires. Mold covered that ceiling, and as condensation gathered, moldy droplets fell on you in the shower. Mold was also on every stall, including soap dispensers, shower heads, walls, and doors. The water was scalding, and the shower handles and supports were broken. A cockroach stayed on the wall for all seven days we were there. There was pubic hair on the walls, hair in the drain, and dirty sinks, trash, and paper all over.

I first came in 2021 for my first visit to NYC, then returned in 2025, and I love this place. The location is impeccable and the people are great. Sure, some people have an off day now and then, and that’s okay. The rooms are always clean, and if one isn’t, you can ask. I’ve only stayed in private rooms, so I can’t speak to shared ones, but I haven’t heard any complaints. There’s a pool and a gym, though I was always too tired to use them. They also have activities. The only reason I’m giving four stars instead of five is that the WiFi was really bad in 2025. I don’t know if the crowds caused it or what, but it seems like an easy fix. I’ll go back either way.