Question About NY Hostels

[DrewT]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 3:24am

So I did a search and I saw a few posts about hostels, but none really answered my questions. I'm coming to NY at the end of the month just to visit. Anyway, I had a question for those of you who have stayed or are familiar with hostels...

1) How safe are they?
2) If you're sharing a room, what do you do about your luggage and clothing? Do other people staying with you steal and/or touch your stuff?
3) Do you recommend paying a little more and getting a private room?
4) I saw cheap private rooms at the Bowery Whitehouse...but it said "lattice" ceilings. Has anyone stayed there before? What do they mean by the lattice ceilings? Like can someone from the room next door crawl over the wall and crawl into yours?
5) Any other recommendations besides the YMCA and Big Apple that I saw in prior postings?

Thanks in advance! :)

[DrewT]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 3:26am

BTW, I have looked at reviews on TripAdvisor and Hostelz.com but they all seem pretty mixed except for this one near Penn Station...except that seems to be out of commission temporarily because of a building fire...

[lesmisforever]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 4:09am

lattice: a structure of crossed wooden or metal strips usually arranged to form a diagonal pattern of open spaces between the strips.

BTW, I have this type of ceiling in one of my rooms in my house. It's just a cheap ceiling, that's all. I don't think they mean someone can climb into your room

I stayed at the Marakech (sp?) and it wasn't too bad price wise. Not a hostel, but anyway...

From what I've read I think you can rent a locker or something for luggage. I would google different hostels and read reviews.

Updated On: 4/7/07 at 04:09 AM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 10:52am

Any other recommendations besides the YMCA and Big Apple that I saw in prior postings?

I know that you're asking for recommendations aside from the YMCA and Big Apple, but since those are the only ones I've stayed in, I wanted to add:

The YMCA really is your best bet in terms of price and safety. Every room is private. The facilities are clean. 24 hour security.

I have also stayed at The Big Apple several times, in shared rooms, and have had no trouble leaving my stuff in the room when I was not there. Nothing has been stolen. All of the people I've shared rooms with have been friendly and are just there to sleep and spend the rest of their time out in the city enjoying their vacation.

You cannot beat The Big Apple in terms of location if your main purpose for visiting the city is to see Broadway shows because you are practically in Times Square.

The West Side YMCA is right near Lincoln Center as well, so location isn't an issue in that case either.

Updated On: 4/7/07 at 10:52 AM

[Broadwayfanatic2]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 9:55pm

If you don't mind location and want to keep the price down I suggest second home on second avenue in East Village (It's a guest house). I have never stayed there but considering the price and the trip advisor reviews it's worth a visit.

If not I suggest trying the Holland Motor Lodge which is in Jersey City, NJ if you really don't mind the location. It's located close to a Path station (10 min walk max) which can bring you to either Ground Zero or the Empire State Building. Again it's not a hostel and I haven't stayed there but it's a cheap hotel (money wise, not quality wise).

Check reviews at Tripadvisor.com and visit the hotel's/guest house's websites :

http://secondhomesecondavenue.com

http://www.hollandmotorlodge.com
HML tripadvisor reviews

[DrewT]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 10:16pm

I'm looking into that secondhomessecondavenue.com. That looks pretty decent for the price and looks fairly clean.

Thanks everyone!

[crb103]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 10:31pm

there is a place i found through expedia.com that is in the upper west side (somewhere around 89th street) that was good. a double occupancy room was $40, and it was clean, had clean bathrooms, and you could store your luggage in safes if you wanted.

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 10:51pm

http://www.timessquareroommates.com/BedandRooms_index.html

[lfae]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:38pm

I loved the Manhattan Inn on 30th and 8th. Lovely people, lovely rooms, nice and cheap - stayed in a private double room, a four-bed dorm, and a six-bed dorm. The rooms do lock, you have your own key and the reception guys ask to see the keys if they see you come in and don't recognise you. There's also lockers down stairs if you're super paranoid. And they give you free breakfast And it's nice and close to everything broadway, without being insanely near. Good area, felt very safe walking back alone at midnight, and I'm a tiny female.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:55pm

I second West Side YMCA. I *always* stay there. I don't understand why you would stay at a hostel over the Y, but whatever.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:23am

Yeah, your belongins are safe, just make sure you don't leave an expensive camera or anything pricy, I carry those with me at all times.
There is a really great hostel on 55th between 9th ave and 8th, (terrific theatrical location) close to everything, close to my favorite bar, Therapy, so you can go have a drink and you're only 3 blocks away from your hostel. I think it's us$ 35/person (includes breakfast at any time) and they have a computer available downstairs. Best deal in town.

www.1291cityhomes.com

[siny]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 1:20am

Not a hostel, but Riverside Tower hotel has cheap rooms with private bathrooms - $104/single, $109/double and suites from $119 to $149. It's on Riverside Dr. and I always send my out-of-town guests to stay there. It's a great bargain, especially if you have several people sharing a suite.

http://www.riversidetowerhotel.com/reserve.html

[tazber]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:23am

Did none of you see the movie?! There are torture chambers in the basement!!!

[StageManager2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:40am

I usually stay at Jazz on the City between 95th Street and Amsterdam Avenue (uptown). It only costs me $102 for three nights, but that's for a six bed (three bunks) room. At first, I was reluctant to leave my possessions behind while I went out, but people respect your stuff. I really enjoyed my roommates. I rarely encounter foreigners, so it was an awesome opportunity to meet people from different countries. There's also no curfew, so you can stay out as late as you want.

http://www.hostelz.com/hostel/66010-Jazz-on-the-City

Don't taz scare you. The chambers aren't that bad, if you're into S&M.

Updated On: 4/8/07 at 06:40 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:43am

Beware of SM! That's the same line he used to lure me down there.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:50am

I said it was LIKE S&M. Just like cricket is LIKE baseball, but not quite.

Updated On: 4/8/07 at 06:50 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:58am

I still have that little rubber ball thing as a souvenier!

[StageManager2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:02am

He means this:



That's one way to gag him!

[tazber]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:04am

Good times!

Whatever happened to Butch, the dungeon master anyway?

[StageManager2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:09am

He wrote a how-to book for the likes of you:



He's long since retired and living off the royalties.

Updated On: 4/8/07 at 07:09 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:15am

Don't be condescending to me SM, you're the one with all the leather gear and chains in his closet. And at last count was it 12 harnesses you had, or 13?

[StageManager2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:19am

15, dear. And I can be as condescending as I'd like. After all, I taught Butch everything he knows (hence my initials). In fact, I wrote the introduction to that book.

[tazber]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:31am

Whoa! Slow down there big shot! I seem to remember you squealing like a little bitch when Butch had to rewrite the intro to remove all the Disney refernces.
Neither The Fox And The Hound nor The Black Hole had anything to do with bondage.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:36am

If you dont mind paying a little more, look at Hotel 31. Private room with shared bath, and a great little place. A little more expensive than it used to be (I could get a room there for 65 a night just a few years ago), but if you check them out on Expedia or Hotels.com, there are usually a few deals to be had.

STAY AWAY FROM one whose name I dont remember, but it's up in the 90s on the west side. The place is a pit, with doors whose locks have been broken countless times.

Jazz on the Street isnt bad. I've stayed there a few times myself. But it's starting to get a little overpriced for what you get.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 7:49am

"Whoa! Slow down there big shot!"

I see you still remember my nom-de-torture.


"Neither The Fox And The Hound nor The Black Hole had anything to do with bondage."

Oh, really? What about when Copper gets harnessed with a dog collar? Or when Quasimodo is strapped to the wheel and lashed? Don't forget when Lady was muzzled. Need I say more?

THE BLACK HOLE is self-explanatory.

Squealing like a little bitch? You should talk. Don't make me pull out the photos.

Updated On: 4/8/07 at 07:49 AM