We recently stayed at the Pod for 3 nights. Upon entry, the staff were very welcoming and friendly. The lobby is small, but has a cool design and includes ipads on the wall for guests to use.
We booked a bunk bed room, thinking that it might allow us a little more walking space in the room, as we read that the rooms were quite tiny. It was small, but not unbearable. Just enough room for 2 people to move around. The bathroom was of course also tiny, but very clean and included a hairdryer and the usual sample shampoo and conditioner. Our only issues with the bathroom were that the towels they offer are really small (about the size of a hair towel) and the door is a sliding frosted glass door that pretty much allows you to see and hear EVERYTHING. Needless to say, if you are staying in such small quarters with a bathroom that leaves little to the imagination, you better be comfortable with the person you are staying with.
Otherwise, the beds were comfortable (but the ladder to the top bunk can be tricky to use and hard on the feet), the A/C was great, and the TVs were good (one for each bed). Don't expect much of a window. Ours was tiny and offered little light. The room was pretty dark most of the time. On another positive note... our room was right beside the elevator, which in most other hotels means you hear them moving all the time, but not here! Complete silence. There was also a noisy machine right outside our room (I think it must have been for the wireless in the rooms...), but we didn't hear that either! Good sound-proofing.
Our favorite part of the hotel was the rooftop terrace.... Stunning! Gorgeous view of the city and the Empire State Building. The decor and lights were also very romantic and lovely. Have a drink there at sunset and be amazed!
The location was ideal for walking around midtown...about a 15 min walk to Time Square. The 6 train is just a few blocks away that can take you uptown and downtown in minutes. If you are driving, there is free parking relatively close by on the streets that are south east of the hotel, near FDR drive (if you don't mind walking 5-10 blocks). When it costs 50$ a day for parking in a lot, this seems worth it. We didn't pay for parking for 3 days in New York!
All in all, we would return because the price and location are excellent for Manhattan.
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