Carlton Arms Hotel

Friendly staff. Reasonable price. While the location is convenient, it can be noisy outside. So light sleepers might have trouble resting.

My wife and I stayed one week in this ....how would you call it? Hotel, hostel, backpacker pad, arty place, best value in NYC, it's all! As always now we book months and months before, hence it was the best value but NYC is a shocker now on prices, beware. We choose an arty bedroom on the first level with bath, great but a bit noisy so don't forget your earplugs and eye mask. Staff were exceedingly friendly and helpful, the bedroom very clean, excellent coffee offered free from 8 am and an excellent Bagel Express as well as a Changaī restaurant, both excellent value. Most importantly it's so well placed, bang in the middle of Manhattan. And of course it's the only hotel in the world where you'll sleep with so many Banksy's (who used to stay a lot)! Highly recommended.

Is it worth $142 (including taxes and fees) for a Double bed + 1 twin)? It’s the cheapest accommodation we could find in Manhatten on a holiday weekend / sat night. The room we booked was for 3 persons but we had only two occupants which is just right . Might be tight for 3 if you have plenty of luggages. There is a mini fridge and sink in each room which was convenient . A public area next to reception on 1st floor with free coffee and tea in morning. Also a microwave and water fountain. So if you’re staying long term, you can save your leftovers in your room’s mini fridge and warm them in the microwave. Pro: charming, unique, interesting murals and artistic, great location (lots of restaurants!), hot water in showers, heater kept room very toasty, clean sheets, clean thick newer towels, staff is super nice (Mr Patagonia) and gave a nice welcome. Room is relatively clean, doesn’t smell. Con: it’s a hostel at a hotel price. Some rooms are better condition than others and vice versa: ie some rooms are worse. Some of the bathrooms are also slightly better condition because they were upgraded. Bedroom got too hot we had to prop open the window to cool it down. No elevator. Suggestion: 1. arrive early you might get a choice of rooms 2. Bring Flipflop (and a plastic bag for your personal stuff) for the shared bathroom 3. Save a few dollars if you book direct. We paid more through Agoda because we didn’t know. 4. Tour the whole hotel walk around every floor! 5. Don’t loose your key - no staff after midnight so you will be locked out! We had a room with walls of painted dolls that look like voodoo dolls - especially when the lights go out, their white faces reflect the ambient light - pretty spooky. We didn’t hear any noise from next door. We parked on the street - free parking on sat night to Sunday. Other days you have to pay the meter. We could have driven to queens and had a nicer hotel for the same price but then we chose location over that. One night is ok. More only if you ok with the gringiness. It’s very old and could use updates but then, if updated, you probably won’t be paying this price like other places in Manhatten.

This is what I like. I have no idea what anyone else may like, so my words are not for you. I'm talking to the Carlton Arms. I can't wait to go back. In fact, I can't wait to stay in every room, so I can see each of their interiors. That's obviously important with the Carlton, but what was even more important for me was the welcome and service we got from everyone we met in reception. Each and every person we met effortlessly bent over backwards to make us feel welcome. Just the coolest bunch of people. And the cat is the second chillest cat I've ever met. A woman I got chatting to after helping her with her bags - as she had a broken wrist - tells me it's a she called Ned, though I, her, or both of us could be wrong. Just the best value I've ever found in New York in pretty much anything. Also, rare to find something that does so much more than it says on the tin. Especially at that level of value. The Carlton Arms is likely to make trips to New York a more regular occurrence. Just the optimum level of everything - including character. Love it

I guess the best way is to describe it as an okay hostel if it was in Europe . Showers could be cleaner. Someone else who stayed there felt it was a bit creepy and there is a certain air of something dodgy. That said my experience was fine and staff were lovely. Not sure if I’d stay there again tho.