For people looking for budget accomodation in New York, you could do far worse than staying at the Pickwick Arms. This hotel is something of a cross between a hotel and a hostel, with 2 communal toilets and showers on each floor.
The main reasons to stay here are.
1. Price - For New York it is relatively cheap
2. Location - Centred in Midtown Manhattan, it is well served by public transport and nice shops and within 10-15 mins of the central tourist attractions (Times Square, Rockafeller Centre etc)
In New York the average standard of hotel is not as good as other major cities due to space and cost. If you want to stay somewhere nice you really have to splash the cash.
This place is perfect for young travellers who dont have too high expectations of their accomodation and want to treat their hotel/hostel simply as a base.
The rooms are all small but adequate. They are cleaned on a daily basis and all come with cable TV.
Beware when booking that they call a double room a room with a bunk bed. I went with my girlfriend and they tried to make us pay extra to get a room with a double bed, despite it clearly saying that it was a double room.
In general the hotel staff were pretty useless and unhelpful, but dont let that affect your choice of hotel in this instance. The location and price allowed us to spend more time enjoying the town and spending money on fun things to do.
As general advice....
1. Do not use the hotel recommended taxi service, they over charge and go the long way round to avoid paying the toll.
2. Do not use the hotel phone - even with a calling card
3. Keep your valuables and passport well hidden within your room
Would I go back here? Probably if I was operating on a budget. It doesnt compare with the best hotels in the world, but it is certainly better than most hostels and I think it is a pretty good place to see New York from
hotel reviews