Swiss 1291 Hostel

Attention at the check in
I was there in december 2006, at the new years day, and just the location was good. At time I arrived here, after eleven hours of flight, I discovered that I needed to pay a "tax" to stay here, about US$40. But I did my reservation by internet and nobody told me it before! I'm sure that they frauded me. The room and the bathroom was dirty, very dirty. The staff was not friendly and the breakfast was so poor. I'm going back to NYC again in september 2007, and I'm sure that I will not stay at swiss 1291 again.

Location is about the only good thing about this place! I had booked a top room. on booking in I was told that our first night was booked for a dorm room and that we could have a private room after that. Not happy as I had booked eight weeks earlier. luckily i had my confirmation email and they couldn't argue it with me! Room was fine but it wasn't until the next day I noticed that I was itchy. My boyfriend didn't believe me that there were bedbugs until he took off his shirt and he was covered in bites too! Bathroom was dirty and the shower had no pressure, although the basin in the room was handy. I would not recommend this place at all!

Find somewhere else to stay! The service at this place was terrible -- I arrived at about 11 p.m. after traveling all day and just wanted to shower and check out the neighbourhood a bit. No such luck as there were "no beds left" even though I had booked a month previously! (and paid a deposit). I would have to stay in their "washington heights property" (on One Hundred Seventy-Fifth Street, about a thirty-minute subway ride and nowhere near midtown). They were extremely non-apologetic and I gather it is a routine thing for them to do, as the guy told me he was waiting for two more people who would also have to head out to where I was staying. When I did get to the other place, the door wouldn't open and someone finally answered and told me I had to use a knife because the door handle didn't work. I met the owner in the morning who was even ruder than his staff. I've stayed at a lot of hostels and this was by far the worst. Find somewhere else to stay.

This was the worst hostel I have ever stayed at. I was actually forced to look for alternative accommodation, due to numerous issues. The place was filthy (including bedbugs), the staff was rude, the door wouldn't unlock in the middle of the night (so I was stuck outside till 9 a.m.), and so on. Go anywhere else but to B&B 1291! There are plenty of decent hostels in the same price range.

I stayed in the 1291 hostel near Times Square and I loved it! The workers were great, I loved talking to them, I felt them more as friends than anything. They do leave at midnight which sounds crazy but they stayed longer because they knew I'd be arriving after that. So there was someone there to check me in about 1 a.m. You have your own keys and everything so it's safe. A cleaning person came in the room I stayed in every morning to do the dirty work. They also provide some food and drinks for those who don't want to go out to eat every night which was awesome, and there's even cable TV and a phone available for free. I couldn't have asked for a better hostel. Oh, and I did get my return deposit back.

The place is clean, but doesn't feel so clean as it's a bit old, battered, and worn on the inside. The staff are very good -- polite and helpful. The location can't be beat, a few minutes walk from Columbus Circle subway and Times Square. For the price this really is the best deal in midtown Manhattan. As you'll find that accommodation in New York is generally poor and expensive.

This hostel is about two or three blocks away from the Columbus Circle subway stop, which is a major hub to many subway lines. We were pleased overall. We signed up for a mixed six-bed, but somehow were placed in a three-bed and no one else showed up, so my friend and I had it to ourselves. There isn't any human security, but the rooms and the hostel entrance all have locks on them, though a little tricky to figure out. The street is a quiet side street. They had PB & J available for sandwiches and premium cable channels in the common room. There's one shower/bathroom per floor, but I never had to wait in a line. It's clean enough for a hostel. We had fun because we met some people in the common area and went out with them that evening. They also offer free luggage storage after you check out -- everything goes in a shed in the backyard. $45 in Midtown in a decent hostel -- you really can't get much better than that!

I stayed in the 1291 hostel in September 2006. I love the location, the friendly staff and the relatively clean dorm rooms. It is cozy, comfortable, and in a fantastic location above Seinfield's Soup Nazi. Fair price, clean, well kept private kitchen and bath in the dorms, and the shared kitchen and lounge in the office are a plus. I felt at home away from home. I am sold on spending money enjoying New York City rather than on hyper-expensive rooms. I spent little time in the room other than preparation and sleeping. It is a fun, eclectic place and feels like New York City. Easy to find, easy to get to the subway (two blocks) and a short stroll to the theatre district, Columbus Circle, Central Park, the Ed Sullivan Theatre, and Times Square. The young Swiss/German staff is excellant, well trained, and a blessing to the guests. I became ill and the staff accommodated my hospitalization and recovery better than could have the Ritz. The luggage can be accomodated up to 10 p.m. after check out, leaving the day spent on the city instead of lugging round unneeded items. The staff has the short cuts needed to see Conan O'Brien, Dave Letterman, and many plays of note in one weeks time. Marvelous. I am seeking a franchise in my hometown!

Easily the best hostel I found in new york -- and I stayed in twelve of them. The staff are young, swiss and supercool. The street its on is very exclusive and far enough away from the traffic for a good nights sleep but also just five minutes walk from times square and the park. The rooms are like mini studio apartments and have a very private feel to them. The breakfast is good enough (all you can eat cereal, chocolate milk, toast, peanut butter). The price is kind of high but I guess thats just New York for you. I met a bunch of cool people here so I really recommend it.

We were in the hostel in July 2005. The room was small, a bit dirty, and not so great like the pictures are showing. Bathroom could be cleaner and we had already better breakfasts in other hostels. If its hot in NY you'll want a room with a real Air conditioning (and not electric fan). The stuff is unprofessional and some of them unfriendly. You have to pay in advance, and don't think that you'll get some of your money back, if you leave earlier. The only really good thing is the location (near Times Square).

This hostel was good value. I got placed in one of the shared apartments between 8th Ave. and Broadway. It was just 1 block away from the hostel itself, and during opening hours you could just walk in for a free coffee/breakfast! (When reception is open). The staff is mostly Swiss and mostly very, very friendly and helpful! Do try out their bike rental (if you have the guts to drive down Broadway).

I stayed in the 1291 hostel six times and have taken many friends there, too. We love the location, the friendly staff, and the artsy rooms. Sure, it is not pristine, but it is cozy, comfortable and in a fantastic location. Fair price, the shared kitchen and lounge are a plus. I feel at home away from home. I am sold on spending money enjoying New York City rather than on a hyper-expensive room I'll spend little time in. It is a fun, eclectic place and feels like New York. Easy to find, easy to get to subway and a short stroll to the West End theatre district and Times Square.

Great location - 10/15 mins from 5th Avenue/Central Park etc, 5 mins from Broadway and it seemed a pretty safe neighborhood even at night. The dorms are pretty basic and without any form of air conditioning which made sleeping a bit uncomfortable in a June heatwave. Bathrooms were passable, but not especially clean. One shared bathroom was hopelessly run down with a shower that simply flowed down the wall. The staff (mostly Swiss) were very nice if a little unfocused - it's all pretty casual here. There are no staff available on site after 9pm. The hostel provides free fresh coffee & milk and toast/peanut butter & jelly/cereal for breakfast which is a real bonus - it also has a very cozy little TV lounge and a nice backyard garden with seating for the smokers!!! Decent value for money given it's great location. The double rooms and apartments are a very good value. As a solo female traveller I felt safe here and would recommend it.

I think it is not worth paying money for this hostel. You might be better off getting specials for a nice hotel in the same area. The hostel is dirty and the shared bathrooms are disgusting. Just move the bed a little and you'll see how clean it is. Or you might as well just look in the closets where it's all dirty and dusty. And if you're really lucky you'll see cockroaches. The breakfast is not the best either. Most likely you'll end up getting it somewhere else.

I went to a professional conference just about three blocks away and decided not to pay the outrageous prices at the Holiday Inn where the conference was. I was extremely happy with my choice to stay at Swiss 1291. This place was a wonderful find. The decor in this place was fun, eclectic and fresh. The original art in the dining room is excellent. The bathrooms were very clean. I took a bath and felt very comfortable doing so. I enjoyed fresh coffee, toast with a little peanut butter and jelly, and about three bowls of cereal and milk for breakfast while I watched the news on a large television set. I also sent an e-mail to my wife for only a dollar for 10 minutes. I met some other friendly travelers from Korea and others from Italy. The staff were college students from overseas who were very friendly and interesting. I brought several people from the conference to show off the place, since it was so close to the conference. Here is the kicker: I enjoyed the winter special of only 20 dollars a night. Since I stayed in the dorm I just kept my stuff with me in a book bag. It was a little inconvenient but well worth the $240 dollars. It was my first visit to New York City and it seemed to be a very safe and clean neighborhood. They accept only cash, but there is cheap cash machine at the Subway restaurant on the corner.