I am thinking of staying there for approximately 6 days.

Read some reviews on the net -- I really can't decide. Some good, some bad.

I will trust you guys to tell me this!?

Or should I just rent an apartment from a source from craigslist?

hi there,
you've been on this forum quite a bit lately so you probably have read many posts by "red". He's pretty good, right? Well, I searched past postings and came up with this from red from last august. see below. I'd listen to him if I were you.

The only hostel I would absolutely recommend avoiding is the Bowery White House. To make a long story short, it's a flop house for elderly drunks that has been trying to make itself over for years, but is still a flop house for elderly drunks.



anyway, I haven't personally stayed at any hostels, but my cousin has. He said there was nothing wrong with American Dream Hostel. If you go to the home page of this site, look for the "A List" feature and click on it. Down near the bottom is a link for AMerican dream hostel.

hi there,

i stayed at the bowery white house hotel last year in november - when i was across from scotlamd to run the marathon and i have no complaints about the place!

it is exactly as it is advertised, and you do get what you pay for - but for $28 a night it is poretty good value for money in manhatten!

of course there are other hostels you can stay at - but when i made my ecision about where to stay i wanted somewhere which was cheap but still private! - in the white house you get your own room, which you lock, unlike being in other hostels where you can be sharing with up to 11 others!

yes it is a bit noisly, the rooms are tiny, and there are some 'locals' in the foyer area, but that all adds to it for me! - i used this place basically as somewhere to change, and get a few hours sleep in between adventures!!

the staff were very helpful, and in my weeks stay there was not 1 bit of problem that i saw in the whole place. - great location too - and couple of subway stations close by.

It depends on what you are after - if you want the lap of luxury etc etc and good comfortable living then probably give this a miss - if you are in NYC for bit of an adventure, to see the city and have good night life then this is a good place.

hope this helps - anymore Q's just let me know

take it easy

graham

I want know how is and where is located the Bowery white house Hostel. I Think travel for May 2006, how many time before I should do the reserve?
I wait you can understand my poor english
Thank you

Querido Julio:

The Bowery White House Hostel esta leeno de borrachos viejos, pero se puede alquilar un cuarto por $28 cada noche, y en Manhattan ese es barato.

Hace cinco anos en que me quede en un hostel en el Upper West Side que se llamo Amsterdam Residence. Tuve mi propio cuarto por cerca de $35 cada noche, y la area es muy linda. Fue bastante limpia, aunque se tenia que compartir el aseo con Dios-conoce-quien. Haz las reservaciones adentro de 3 meses antes tu llegas, para estar seguro.

I have stayed there twice , on my three trips to New York and really enjoyed it. The rooms are mere slots in the wall, but are clean and as mentioned private.


You also have to access to several subway lines through the side streets , the bowery isnt the greatest place but you are in walking distance of the true NYC neighorhoods, china town, little itally (though it might as well be little asia now), tribeca, etc.


The other you should consider is jazz on the park hostel, its a music lovers dream pad.

Nicky, more on Jazz on The Park Hostel please!

Blue, muchas gracias para Julio!

Ok there is a jazz band that plays downstairs, and even when there not you can walk in the lobby in the early morning and hear the tracks.


There is a free breakfast at there coffee bar which really sucks to be honest (bad coffee and a stale bagel) but it brings many people together, and creates an awesome atmosphere for making friends. Avoid the internet terminal its overpriced and will constradict the point of staying in a hostel. if you need internet go to the easy internet cafe in times square (1.00 hr)


I can't stay anything about the private rooms (though there cheap enough 55.00 a night), but i've stayed in the dorms. There typical NYC cramped but not clasustrophic style, and there clean. People in reviews complain about the private rooms being in another building a block away though.



Now for the bad part, its way uptown on 107th, unless everything you want to see is uptown your going to be spending ALOT of time on the 'C' train. My average was about 35 - 40 minutes. Also the neighorhood is certainly not the worst but not the greatest either. On the other hand though its an awesome basis for exploring Spanish harlem (walking distance) , and the african american side (10 minute subway
ride to 125th st. ) I found an SOOOOOOO AWWWWWWWEEEEESOMMMMMMME pizza shop right off the 'C' train at 125th.

There is one in the East Village but i know nothing about it, it doesnt seem to have private rooms though.



If your planning on seeing mostly uptown, midtown attractions you'll be fine, but if your planning going to the bars, clubs, etc (mostly downtown, East Village, Lower East Side), i think you would spend too much time on the train.

hope this helps,

Nicky

i forgot to mention that the water in the showers at jazz on the town is scalding hot, no matter what you try to do to it.

Thanks so much Nicky. Great review.