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Vanderbilt YMCA - New York City, New York
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Vanderbilt YMCA

New York City (Manhattan - Midtown East)

79 of 82
Category
Other
Address
224 East 47th Street, New York City (Manhattan - Midtown East), New York, USA   Map
Price
From US$42.50/€29.99/£21.43 per person.
Location/Contact
Details
Online booking is not offered for this accommodation, contact them for availability and reservations (any contact info we have is listed above).
Description

Features

  • Lockers
  • Swimming Pool
  • TV
  • Washing Machine (laundry)
  • Clothes Dryer
  • Elevator/Lift
  • Travel information provided
  • 24 Hour Free Hot Showers
  • Phones (public or in room)
  • Air Conditioning
  • Gym/Fitness Room


Ratings & Comments

3.4 Average from 14 Ratings

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative comments.
We can't validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site—so take what you read here with a grain of salt.
Comment by Millie, Germany
September 2009
4 Good for N.Y., quite clean but small rooms
I stayed here for is a week and another two nights in August 2009. The location is great -- ten minutes' walk from Grand Central station. A shuttle bus can be booked to the airport for 15 dollars. We had a twin bed room. It was small but clean the first week. We even had a TV. The bathroom was always clean. The second time we were there, we had the same room but unfortunately, the people who had stayed in our room had smoked in it. We were not able to get the smell out of the room and there was ash on the floor and on the pillow case. We talked to the cleaning staff and the pillow case was changed immediately. But still, not nice to see that the room was not cleaned properly. I think we were just unlucky on this second stay. This hostel is huge but you don't really see or get in contact with the people staying here because there are no common rooms. Therefore, this place is not really a hostel but more like a cheap hotel. If you are looking for a generally clean place to sleep when visiting N.Y. and spend all day sight-seeing this is a good place to stay. I would stay here again.It is worth the money and surely much better than most N.Y. hostels.
Comment by Yana, USA
March 2009
2 You get what you pay for
If you just need a place to sleep then this is the place for you. This hostel is mostly intended for those who spend the whole day out and about and only come here to sleep. The room is the size of a closet so forget about privacy here. The beds were uncomfortable and the pillows were lumpy and my neck is still sore because of them. There is no microwave there, which sucked because we were getting back to the hostel around 2 a.m. when the only food place open was Duane Reade and I could not buy anything to eat since I had no place to heat up my food. Another thing I hated about this hostel was lack of internet service of any kind. No public use computer for the guests or high speed hook-up in the room. if you are the type of person who needs to check email/Facebook or whatever you use to keep in touch every day and you don't have a fancy phone that gets internet, this hostel is not for you. This hostel was a good value in a good location but I would not stay here again because of the internet and microwave situation.
Comment by Arty Farty Jo!, British
March 2007
3 Well, we stayed as a group of twenty-four from a college in the North East of England. The accommodation was extremely basic, but warm and welcoming. The staff were lovely and I did feel safe as an individual. However, our rooms were extremely small and the floors are hard -- not carpeted. I think it is very old lino that didn't appear very clean. The old radiator in my room made really loud banging noises every time it came on -- so loud that it would wake the neighbouring rooms up! We were based on floor ten and there weren't many showers with curtains, which isn't very nice when you have a big group to take care off. My biggest tip to anyone is to use the gym washing facilities on the lower ground floor. Many people use them for changing before and after swimming, but they are much nicer than using the shared facilities on the floor where your room is based. There are even a couple of hairdryers to use, so you don't need to bring on in your case. They even provide a clean folded towel -- a nice touch. So, on the whole, the hotel is basic but friendly and there isn't a cafe or restaurant any more -- only a cold drinks machine. My tip here is to go to Cafe Metro -- superb breakfasts and meals cooked in-front of your very eyes! I have missed my blueberry pancakes this week! To be honest, I would rate this hotel two and a half if given the choice.
Comment by Ben
November 2005
3 Ok...this hostel is not that bad. I stayed here and the HI-New York (you can read my review of the HI-NY under that hostel section). My room here was about 78USD, which is expensive compared to the HI-NY, but not really if you consider you can use the YMCA facilities. They do not have dorms here, just private rooms. I didn't really like it because I was traveling alone and it was hard to meet people. It wasn't a really social place. The room was small, but had the bare necessities. My bed had someone else's hair in it, so needless to say, I didn't use sleep under the covers. The bathrooms were ok, but the showers didn't work correctly. One time, it was freezing, the next time it was scalding hot. Also, the curtains don't cover you. There is another shower available but that one doesn't have curtains at all. But not a lot of people use that one, so it was cleaner. Also, the toilet was always clogged. My suggestion? Use the restroom/shower downstairs in the actual YMCA. All you have to do is show your room key. They are clean and spacious. All in all, I wouldn't stay here again, but I don't feel it was a bad place to stay. But being that I was traveling alone, I felt isolated here and didn't get much of a chance to meet other travelers besides in the elevator. Oh, also one thing I liked is that they had a little shop where you could buy stuff. And about the café, it's not a café per say, I think they can make you food, but it's not like a sit-down place at all.
Comment by Anonymous
May 2005
1 Avoid this place. I lived there! Rats! The housekeepers talk to themselves in the mirror. And the showers have bugs that crawl out of the holes in the ceilings. The people at the front desk act like you bug them every time you ask for your mail. And with packages they wait three days to tell you that you have one. The only upside is the other guests. They normally are from all over the world and have great stories to share.
Comment by "Girl Ladies"
March 2005
5 We stayed here on the 10th to 14th of March 2005 with our college and we thought it was great, although our group should have stayed on the same floor. The rooms were clean and there was lots of privacy and great places to just sit and chat! It was lovely to stay there, as it was just a few blocks away from Grand Central Station and Times Square! But we English girls loved it!
Comment by Anneke
March 2005
4 We spent six nights at this hotel and we had a great time. Yes, the rooms are very small but they are clean, safe and well heated. We walked to Grand Central Station (the Metro) and Times Square, and ate our breakfast at the little restaurant right across the street. The hostel is in a great location and we really loved the swimming pool after a long day of walking through Manhattan. The staff were very friendly, especially the girl from Holland!
Comment by Chattanooga Girl
December 2004
3 This place is only a few blocks from Grand Central Station, where you can catch any subway train. I stayed here for a week. It was decent for the price, considering you're in New York City. The front desk security workers can be assholes but they're just doing their job. There were pubs and bars everywhere, within walking distance.
Comment by John May
August 2004
4 I stayed at this Y back in 1970 when I paid £56 for a return ticket London/New York with Pan Am Airways! It's a great value hotel; very clean with great breakfast available and a superb location. I've stayed many times since. Why pay more? Spend your money having a good time in this fab city!
Comment by Simon
July 2004
4 For the money, it's very good with clean private rooms and a very good location. Staff were helpful although not always that friendly. I will be staying here again on my return to the East Coast.
Comment by Anonymous
January 2004
4 I have stayed here twice and I think it's in a good location, clean, friendly, and fun. If you're on a budget, there's nowhere better.
Comment by Chris
November 2003
4 I thought this was brill, although the location wasn't the dogs balls in Manhattan, it had everything else going for it. Me and my girlfriend stayed and had loads of privacy. There is also a brilliant Irish pub call O'Neills just a block away.
Comment by always_b_my_star@hotmail.com
August 2003
4 Just next a block away from the United Nations. The quality and the service was great, liked the swimming pools. Mind you, it wasn't the best spot to all tourist attractions but it was good enough and I really enjoyed my stay.
Comment by massimiliano cassandrin
April 2003
3 Quite good. A bit noisy.
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