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The Pod Hotel
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Midtown East
230 E 51st St
(between 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave)
New York, NY 10022
(212) 355-0300
230 E 51st St
(between 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave)
New York, NY 10022
(212) 355-0300
- Nearest Transit:
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Lexington-3rd Aves-51st St (6, E, V)
- Price Range:
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$$
82 reviews for The Pod Hotel
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12/12/2008
11/7/2009
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5/19/2008
One of The Pod Hotel's Favorite Reviews What's This?
I LOVE this place. I've stayed here twice in the past year for business trips and it was perfect. Small hotel rooms--but hey, this is New York! And most of the time when you're in this City you're out in the streets anyway. They have flat screen TVs, very reliable and free wi-fi in the rooms and the ultra-cool lobby/lounge, and the decor is very artsy and stylish but everything's still functional. Also, the location is great because you only need to take one train (the E, which is also an express) from JFK and the subway stop's just a couple blocks away. And there are tons of non-touristy restaurants in the area (see my review of Sip Sak) for either casual breakfast meetings or fancier dinners. Service is good, the shared bathrooms are generally clean, and the toiletries smell yummy. The showers are awesome too, as they have those flat 'rain' showerheads and are all marble. Very affordable for all this hipness, and Midtown to boot! Love love LOVE the Pod Hotel!
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This place was the bomdizzle. The rooms are tiny tiny, but the hotel itself was just beyond gorgeous. Highlights:
- Rooftop garden
- Fun fancy bathrooms with rainfall showers
- Mod decor
- Sexy Europeans. Rawr.
$200 a night was pretty devastating, but I know that we wouldn't have been able to find anything as clean and close to the places we wanted to visit for less.
I don't have an issue w/ smaller-sized accommodations. Hell, I've done Japan multiple times - no problem.
The Pod is based on a cool concept. Modern, chic, economic use of space. Very similar to those in Japan, Europe.
What it fails in is service & upkeep.
The heralded rooftop is cluttered w/ lots of misc garbage. The view isn't that great.
Service is definitely lacking. Asked if they might have some toothpaste, no big deal if they didn't, but definitely didn't expect a blank look shake of the head nonchalant NO.
2 of the 3 bell dudes we encountered were a bit pushy.
Elevators are AMAZINGLY SLOW and get incredibly claustrophobic as a result.
Won't be back.
Awesome and unique place. Great value for budget travelers! Bunk with in a small room and a shared bath for only $100 in a manhattan hot spot. The whole place is very clean and stylish. Low-key chill music plays in the bathrooms. There are a lot of little cute conveniences like bathroom indicators on the wall (tells you when the john is free).
This is a great alternative to a hostel when two people are traveling together.
Stayed here with less than 24 hours notice that I'd need to get a room in NYC, and was overall pretty impressed. The rooms are clean, small, and efficient. Very reliable Wi-Fi. I stayed in one of the "double" rooms, and honestly wouldn't have minded a single room with a shared bath if it meant the room was half as expensive. Two of the three elevators were under maintenance, which was unfortunate, but the experience was overall very no-frills and pleasant.
2 of 3 elevators were not working. The Internet did not work over three days, despite repeated calls for technical support.
Small, trendy, roof deck, and good service but, I expect elevators and the Internet to function.
Okay.
I stayed here for two nights with my best friend, in one of the bunk bed rooms. I will say that the lobby of the hotel and the exterior is pretty. And the price wasn't THAT bad (about $280 for two nights). BUT. I doubt I'll be making a return. I've found other hotels that are cheaper and BIGGER.
Cons:
1) The rooms are FRIGGIN TINY. Seriously. I mean, I should have expected it since it's called 'The Pod Hotel' but still. In our bunk bed room, we barely had anywhere to put our suitcase and change!
2) The bathroom. Again, this was expected after reading the reviews. I didn't mind the bathrooms. They were clean. BUT, they should have a better system in finding out which bathroom was open. The indicators in the room didn't work and we had to keep sneaking out to see if a bathroom was free or not. Which could be a pain in the ass. Also, if you're going to put the bathroom outside the room, then please, maybe offer bathrobes? I felt strange walking down the hall wrapped in a towel and I also didn't want to carry a huge bag of clothes and toiletry with me when I take a shower.
3) The hallways. SO DARK. CREEPY. You get off the elevator into these tiny, claustrophobic hallways and there is almost no lighting. Just an eery glow.
The area where the hotel is located IS nice. There are bars, restaurants, subway stops. But that's about it. The actual hotel wasn't that great.
NOW, if they offer the $69 special they had earlier this summer, I might go again but I would never go again for the $120/night for a bunk bed room that they offered me.
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I stayed here right after they opened, and was very impressed.
We had a double bed with our own bathroom. Everything was so clean and tidy. The room was ridiculously small, but arranged well. I kind of liked the fact that I could sit on the bed and watch my gf pee (glass doors). Guess I'm a perv like that. There was a little baby flat screen, an ipod dock, and the bed was pretty comfy.
The rooftop area was real dope too. There weren't a lot of other guests there, so we got to hang out up there by ourselves quite a bit.
However, I am a total cheapskate, so I probably won't stay here again, unless I get a crazy deal. We lucked out and got the room for a really low price cuz they had just opened.
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The pod...
Location: Excellent if you spend half your time near central park and the other half on the lower side of this charming island.
Ambiance: Very cool and young with economical minimalist decor (ikea meets modernica feel).
Staff: Friendly and efficient but will not go out of their way to accommodate you. There are two non-affiliated restaurants next door nothing on the premises which means no room service or minibar.
Room: Small-very similar to the Hudson but for less $ (An average of $160-$180 a night when I booked through http://hotels.com)
Bed was comfortable. Sheets were alright (blanket and quality of sheets could be a bit more luxurious). Amenities: basic shampoo, soap, body wash and body lotion. Towels were generous. The decor and set up was very functional and space efficient.
DISAPPOINTMENT: IHOME unit was an older model and did not charge iphone or ipod... :-( Front desk could careless...
Clientele: While enjoying their small garden in the lobby- I noticed business travels, hipsters, lots of European travelers of all ages and college kids...
Quality of Sleep:
Wednesday and Thursday night:
doors being opened and slammed shut on the hour by the 21 and under crowd visiting their friend staying next door to your room with bottles of Jack Daniels and 6 packs of Pabst (they were too drunk to have any sort of conversation with...
Sleepy me in Pj's in hallway "hey...um- woud you mind not slamming the door shut... maybe you guys can just leave it unlocked... I'm just trying to get a litlte sleep"..... response from a guy with a tall, brown paper bag "um yeah my cousin is staying here -it's not my room" As he stares at the floor then my chest.... then just gets cross eyed... looking like he's ready to puke. I called the front desk and they came up and had a talk with the cousin.
Friday-Saturday:
Slept with Tv on a bit louder Friday night. There was less commotion after 1 AM. so I finally turned it off and had some decent sleep. Saturday was by far the most peaceful. Thank you cute bartender at the French cafe on the East side of the Hotel for serving me generous pours of wine and treating me to 3-4-5 shots of kir royal. It turns out the best way to get some good sleep is from a sugar comatose...
All in all I felt it was a fair value... it was fairly inexpensive, location was great, room was comfy (the noise was only super annoying on Wednesday night and a bit of nuisance Thursday night). I enjoyed the coziness of the room as a solo traveler. I would not recommend staying here with your lover, parent or spouse :)
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So small I could see my bf taking a pee in the bathroom!
So I went on a trip to NY with my bf(my first time to NY ever!) and we were searching hotels. Man they are sure expensive in NY, but we found The Pod and decided to book it. My Bf had warned me it was going to be small, but I didn't really believe him. I can say we were definitely two peas in a pod! It was so tiny I could see my bf taking a pee in the bathroom. Despite how small it was I really enjoyed my stay there It felt really cozy. And the customer service was excellent they were eager to help and provide us with everything we needed. I will for sure stay there again if I'm ever in NY again that is!
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Just stayed in the Pod two nights ago, and I will definitely stay again. On a trip to NYC, I don't need a 5 star hotel with valet service, and I really don't want to be overlooking the unceassing light of times square. The Pod is located a good walk from Times Square, but it is a quick jump from the 51st and Lexington subway stop, and you can't beat the subway for cheap, efficient travel in the city.
The rooms ARE pods, with room for a bed (bunk in our case), a sink, and a small chair and writing desk. It was air conditioned, although our unit made a sound similar to the Lost smoke monster at about 3am. The rain head shower was clean, and available when I needed it, and the concierge was helpful. I also loved the patio area. Beautiful and relaxing.
This is definitely a hotel for people who intend to spend most of the time around the city. If that's your goal, you can't beat the price unless you have a particular affinity towar stained sheets and cockroaches. The pod was a chic, clean, and functional crash pad in a good part of town.
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Walking into the lobby I was greeted with relaxing lounge music and an ultra modern decor that felt welcoming at the same time. The staff was all very friendly and the concierge was very knowledgeable. The deck on the lobby level is very nice and has a lot of natural maple accented with stainless steel chairs and is a great place to take in the sights and sounds of the city.
I was in a group of 4 and we got a suite at a very reasonable price. Unfortunately the suites are located in a different wing of the hotel and there is no elevator access so we had to carry our luggage up a few flights of stairs but it's a small price to pay for having a great room, in a great part at town, at an even greater price.The room was minimalistic yet utilized very well. Lots of storage space, iPod stereo dock, comfortable but modern decor, flat screen television, and free Wi-Fi. The suite had a queen sized bed, two roll out singles, private bathroom, desk, a spherical pod chair hanging from the ceiling, and plenty of windows that backed onto E 51st St.
The neighborhood the hotel is located is fairly quiet and great area for grabbing food and drinks as there are many restaurants and bars around. The hotel does not offer room service but I never order room service anyway so it didn't affect me much. The clientele was fairly diverse being anyone from twenty-something students to young professionals.
Overall, the price of the hotel does not reflect the great amount of value you will receive as a customer and I would definitely recommend this hotel to those that are young and looking for a cheap place to stay in Manhattan. One of my favorite boutique hotels in the city.
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I stayed here with my best friend in a bunk bed room in the Pod. Terrific location-- near the subway so most anywhere in the city is a short ride away. The price is good, and the atmosphere is very cool. The shared bathrooms are surprisingly clean and you'll nearly always be able to shower when you need it. The maid service is friendly enough, but if you're the type to sleep in, they're going to be loud in the morning!
Be sure to head to the roof-- it's never very full and offers a fantastic view (go up Stairs B) I never saw this computer that was supposedly free for you to use in the lobby, but my ipod was good enough mostly for the whole trip.
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San Francisco Gal~ was visiting NYC for first time, and "The Pod" got EVERYTHING right.
~Well priced
~Clean
~Friendly Staff
~Nice Decor
Was a great place in a perfect location.
HIGHLY recommended.
I'm sitting in the Pod lobby as I write this, waiting for my friend to wake from her nap. The weather is perfect -- upper fifties and sunny, so the hotel opened the sliding doors that lead to their very cute deck. Unfortunately, the wireless is spotty on the deck, so I'm hanging in one of their modern, but comfortable chairs. I love the decor, a pleasant combination of red, orange and gray mixed with natural fibers, stone and wood. Paired with an awesome collection of lobby music and the singing concierge, it makes for a warm environment to work in for a few hours.
Things to remember:
1. Take the stairs. I actually waited ten minutes for the elevator before I realized everyone uses the stairs. The elevators are slow and rarely have room for you when you do get one.
2. The beds don't look exactly "as advertised" with slightly different bedding. The pillows are very flat and lumpy at the same time and I could have used more than one since I had a roommate. However, I slept soundly and comfortably.
3. The bathroom is TINY. I feel like I'm on a boat, which is fun until you need to wash your face in the sink that's barely larger than a cereal bowl. Keep your bathroom supplies on the desk or ledge outside of the bathroom and make use of their creative storage space. There's really no other option for storing things.
4. The hot water runs out quickly. It's a nice shower head, but if you're a tall man, you're probably going to have some space issues.
5. The halls are noisy, but the street isn't. As long as you don't get a party or teenagers running up and down the halls, you should be fine.
6. If you came to the city to work, they make it very easy with a nice flat screen TV, fast and free wireless and an iPod docking station. I wish they had some better channels and reception, but I'm here to go out with my friend, not watch HBO...
7. It's very clean. I can't be in a dirty space. I can't see mildew, I just can't handle it. That means staying in NYC is virtually impossible for my nerves because everything is so worn and old. The Pod does a good job of keeping things clean. There are some marks in the shower and dust along corners (the hall ways aren't very pleasant -- feels like a dark cave), but I felt comfortable, which means it must be clean. :)
8. If you have a private bathroom, when you close the door, your roommate can still see in! Just work out a system and you'll be good.
General thoughts:
This is one of the best value hotels in New York City. It's a "cheap" room ($139/night for a queen bed), has a good location, free wireless and a comfortable night's sleep. This isn't where I'd stay with my husband for a romantic night, but it's cute, convenient and perfect for someone that just needs to get in and out without a fuss. If they had better bedding, conditioner and better towels, I'd have been ecstatic and given them a fifth star.
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Great place. I will try to stay there every time I go to NY. Bring earplugs, as the hallways are busy. But you can't beat the price, and the rooms are spotless. I stayed at the Millennium Hilton for 2 days this time and couldn't WAIT to get back. Free internet, great location, and lots of restaurants and bars nearby.
Well I only stayed here on night but I think I've got a pretty good feel for the place.
Pro's:
-The rooms are affordable.
-The rooms are clean.
-No street noise.
Con's:
-The elevator is ridiculously useless and slow-just walk down the stairs.
-The beds aren't the comfiest or longest (I had a single bed).
-The shared bathrooms are nice as far as shared bathrooms go, but it's still a shared bathroom.
-The light was out in my room.
-The pipes clanked and banged a lot.
-The hallways were dimly lit and a touch musty.
This is a place for 20-somethings-period. That or people on a severely restricted budget. $69 for a room the size of a closet with no private bath is affordable, but what's that savings worth to you? During my trip I also stayed at a hotel that had a king bed, a large private bath, cable, Internet breakfast and fast elevators for $120 a night.
Maybe I'm just grumpy because my room was missing a pillow and had no light, and I had to walk down halls in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but I don't see the magic here. The front desk staff was average at best. If you just need a place to crash and value is important give this place a try and see how it works for you, but for now it's a 3.5 star place for me.
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I have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive about staying here, however after two nights there I definitely appreciated it and would stay there again.
I stayed in a single with shared bathroom and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there. The bathroom and shower were ALWAYS clean when I went and while I am sure the cleaning staff don't clean after each person that goes in there, everyone is pretty respectful of each other in the common area.
The room was fairly small (even by New York standards) but it was very functional and very comfortable. Free wi-fi was definitely a plus!
The neighborhood is quite good and it was easy to get around the city as it is pretty close to a number of subway lines. Also the Go shuttle has a readily available stop to get to the airports (still make a reservation).
The staff was sort of hit or miss. They were either REALLY helpful or unhelpful. I did notice the day staff was much friendlier than the night staff...
All in all a great place, and I would definitely check it out again if the rates were competitive.
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For the price, this place is targeted towards college students and young adults. The Pod is laid out like a college dormitory, which I really enjoyed because it reminded me of freshman year of UCSB.
Anyways, most of the guests here are young people, so they tend to make quite a bit of noise in the middle of the night, just like in college. I didn't have jetlag, but I was sleeping at 3am in the west coast, and that makes it hard to sleep at 3am in the east. The constant footsteps didn't help.
I was staying in a single room, and the decor was very dorm-like, with a flat-panel tv, desk, full bed, and a very cool shower/bathroom combo. Since I was staying there alone, I wanted my privacy, so the single w/ bath was perfect.
The location was good, as it was 2 blocks away from the subway. It was relatively close to all of the other mid-city locales. One day I walked all the way to Rockefeller Center and Madison Ave, but I love walking.
An important note. Since this is like a dorm or hostel, there is no room service for food and stuff like that. So, get your own food. It is New York City, so it will be easy to find something great. The elevator is also horribly slow and small like a dorm. Get some exercise and use the stairs.
The doorman was really cool and always complimented me about my tee-shirts and kicks. The staff is really cool, but they are minimal. I stayed in tower where there was no window to the street, so that was kind of bad. But for $70 a night, this place was clean and enjoyable.
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Just returned from a four night stay at "The Pod", loved it and will be heading back again for my next NYC visit. No need for a lengthy review as all others cover what makes this place great. I've stayed all over Manhattan over the past ten years, and the Pod has perfected the balance of what works - good location, simple clean room, friendly staff, room options from singles with shared bath, to decent queen bedrooms, to bunk beds just for fun.
I could stay most anywhere in NYC but choose the single room with shared bath to try out the full Pod experience - and it was great. Just enough room for me, no problem sharing the bath with other guests (the "green light" system in the rooms that lets you know which are free works perfectly) and everyone staying there seemed to get it. Considerate and good neighbors.
You can find bigger places with more amenities - like the nightmare tourist hive that is the Times Square Marriot - but for the best in basics, the Pod is the place.
I have to knock off one star because of the ridiculously slow elevators and the non-existent concierge (the desk is there but never a person). Other than that I am truly blown away by this place. You cannot beat the price and what you get for it.
We had a private bathroom in our pod but some of the other rooms have to share very nice and clean fancy bathrooms. They always looked available. The bathroom inside the room was OK. The shower and toilet are seperate from the sink which was stainless steel and resembled an airplane bathroom. I only wish there was somewhere to store toiletries. I had to use a high top shelf of one of three closet spaces.
The room was decorated in a modern IKEA style with sleek bedding, plenty of lighting options and three night stands...all for a room with two queen beds.
The location is great. There are a million nail salons, places to eat and the subway is about 2 blocks away. I will definitely stay here on my next fabulous trip to NYC!
Compared to some of the other dives I've stayed in during NYC visits - of comparable prices - Pod is certainly NOT a dive. In fact I am such a fan I've been back numerous times. Summer, winter, bunk bed with my brother (where I learnt the nearest place that sell earplugs at 2am), private double rooms and large dble rooms. So yes, I've almost stayed in 'em all.
Great neighbourhood, surrounded by some fab restaurants and bars. Walk to one side you get the business district, other side and you get residential. It is super convenient - 1.5 blocks from several subway lines.
The hotel is clean, funky, the staff are nice. I did not experience Scott D's over heating problem at all - the AC/ heater has served me just fine in both winter and summer.
Yes they space is small... if you're over 6'2 I wouldn't consider staying here. But for the price v. location... I am so glad Pod came along.
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If you've ever shopped around for a hotel in NYC, you know that anything remotely convenient is ridiculously overpriced. Even the very scummiest of rooms! And on the other end of the spectrum, we have the youth hostels which are a great value but not always the most comfortable of places.
Enter: The Pod Hotel, which turned out to be a great and unparalleled value right in Midtown. It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect from the website: trendy, hipster-y, artsy... think hostel+ikea+college dorm. The rooms are definitely TINY but sufficient. I had bunk beds which I'd recommend even if you're traveling alone - same price as one bed and then you have a sleeping area and a sitting area, as long as you can sleep on a twin bed. I also really did not mind the shared bathroom. There are several on the floor, never had to wait at all, and always IMMACULATE, and the shower was probably the nicest I've ever used: overhead, rain-style, AND two jets that shoot out the side.
When you do get claustrophobic in your room but don't feel like leaving, just head up to the kickass roof deck or down to the lobby or patio, all very nice spacious common areas.
My two main complaints: elevators (only 2 for lots of people, and sometimes only 1) and the 'free wi-fi' which NEVER worked for me on two different computers. Very annoying and couldnt really get an explanation for that.
Overall - great value, you won't be disappointed, and do not fear the shared bathrooms.
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This hotel was exactly what I expected, and maybe a little more. It was small. It was trendy. And it was in a central location for site seeing. So no surprises considering the price. Well since it was still priced decently, I'm reserving the right to be critical. I have one complaint and one squabbly comment. The complaint was that there were two flat pillows only--I mean COME ON...can't they at least splurge for 4 since I can find a ruler thicker than both of the pillows smooshed together?? Answer = Yes. Very uncomfortable!!!! Straight up Frankenstein neck feeling in the morning. My squabbly comment is that while waiting for the shuttle to the airport, one person was laying on the couch in the EMPTY lobby--not sprawled out in any perverse positions--and was told that he couldn't do that. uhh what? LAME. It's not a nightclub, and we were patrons. A little snooty to me considering we had fingernail thin pillows. So if you visit, you have to be Miss/Mr. Manners in the lobby. It just seemed like such a ridiculous thing to pick over considering some of the other people that we watched slither around and look useless afterwards.
You know a place is good when you can't even wait until you've had the complete experience to tell people about it. I am currently sitting in the lobby, eating one of the best breakfasts. Organic yogurt with wildflower honey, granola & berries. Toasted bagel with smoked salmon, red onions, tomato & capers. Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. Vanilla free trade iced tea. And did I mention the presentation is beautiful?
I'm in a single room with a shared bathroom. The room itself is small, but not smaller than I expected. It was totally clean, the bed doubles as a couch when it's made up, there are drawers under the bed and places to hang your clothes, a desk, chair, and clock radio with an ipod dock. You have to go out into the hallway to use the bathroom, but they're private bathroom, also very luxurious with marble floors and stainless steel and ultimately very modern sinks and showerheads. I was lucky enough to have one of the bathrooms right next to my room. Never once did I go to use the bathroom and have to wait. It's nice to be able to crank the AC since it's so hot outside and have it freezing in my room. I had a great night's sleep.
The staff is friendly and accomodating. The lobby/lounge is beautifully decorated, clean and modern. Basically the entire experience is nothing but enjoyable and I don't think you can get a pleasant experience like this for $150 a night in nyc, with a great location (right off the E), anywhere else. Oh yeah, and there's great wifi access that allowed me to yelp while here!
I'll let you know if anything goes wrong, but so far, The Pod Hotel has made my NYC experience more than pleasurable.
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Live Like a Pea in a Pod.
The Pod offers basic essentials for travelers to Manhattan. There's a room, a bed, a toilet, a sink, air conditioning, closet space, small room safe, and even a desk and a room telephone. The things we expect such as a television or toiletries are also there, but the television is a small flat panel mounted to the wall in an inconvenient location, and the toiletries are tucked away in a little cubby at the stainless steal sink--detached from the bathroom of course.
Getting to the Pod Hotel is a breeze. Take a cab to 51st between 2nd and 3rd and you're there. You can also take a variety of trains such as the 6 local, or the E, V, N, or R which take you within striking distance of the place. I chose a convenient 8 minute cab ride that cost only about $10 from Penn Station.
Checking in, you walk into a small walkway and then into a large room, filled with stylized, modern art and hidden doorways that blend with the surrounding décor. Those are the stairways that can take you up to each of the 14 hotel floors. The music was clam and elegant and befitting for aging hipsters of New York City. On one side of the hotel lobby is the front desk, with flat-panel monitors that show a slide show of photographic art of the City. To the immediate right was a small concierge desk in the middle of another room the hotel calls the lounge. It's WiFi-enabled, as with the rest of the hotel, and the lounge serves as a gate way to their café in the summer months. You get to the café through a glass door that opens into their courtyard which resembles a rock garden with beautiful wood platforms below. The website shows photos of tables and chairs, but while I was there, those were stored elsewhere--until summer I was told.
Behind the front desk were the elevators. Three elevators moved people up and down. One was a service elevator--out of order of course, which made going up and coming back down a bit of a hassle in terms of waiting.
Exiting the elevator on the 5th floor where my room was seemed almost surreal. The very low-lit, tiny hall way reminded me of staying in a dreary Union Square hotel. I walked by few rooms and water closets and communal bathrooms. Luckily I paid a little extra and was able to reserve a room with my own bath.
I opened the door to my room and my jaw dropped. Literally a pod that was more comfortable for one child than for two persons, the room was as small as a midsized sedan! We didn't come to New York City for the room, I thought, so this room was, at the very least, extremely quaint. A few steps forward and to my right were the beautiful stainless steal sink, and up ahead were the air conditioning unit and the wall-mounted flat-panel with an impossible viewing angle unless you stood in front of the television. Walking even further, and to the right, lay the shower and toilet. On the other side was the bed, a little night stand, and a small desk. The furniture wasn't anything fancy and resembled stuff you buy from Ikea.
It was just a little smaller than that Union Square room I paid for many years ago, but the price was unbelievable. It was only about $100 per night for this room compared to the $169 in Union Square for a tad bit bigger accommodations. The price is even better for singles at a low $69 per night.
To delve further into staying at the hotel, one night there, I experienced a loud intermittent buzzing that annoyed me while I tried to sleep. I assumed it was coming from the hotel, so I called the front desk. Within minutes, they called back to tell me there wasn't any noise, and a hotel worker would be up shortly. The service was pretty awesome for such a small hotel. As it turns out the noise was coming from outside. This made sleeping pretty hard, but perhaps this was a rare experience.
The hotel's concierge was very friendly and courteous. Walking up to the man sitting down with his Apple MacBook and texting on his iPhone, I asked him what the best way to get to JFK was. He gave me a few options and ultimately went back to his hipster job. I didn't mind though, and the hotel's ambiance grew on me and I even grew to like the tiny room.
On my final day, we ventured up to the rooftop with chairs, and artificial turf. Evidence of a late night gathering lay present such as empty beer bottles and cigarette butts. The Pod is a strict non-smoking hotel, but I suppose the roof doesn't count. The views from the top of the 14 story building aren't the best in New York City, but they are pretty grand for an out-of-towner.
In all, the room was very adequate for my needs. It's in a good neighborhood, and within walking distance to many of New York City's fine landmarks such as the UN Building, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. It's also a block away from subway lines that made for easy travel. I will recommend the Pod Hotel to all my friends, and my next stay in New York City on a shoestring budget will probably be in a Pod.
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I love this hotel!
I stayed here back in March when I was in the city for some auditions. My friend and I had a room with bunk beds and a shared bath. We both loved our individual flat screens although we often ended up watching the same thing. The only real issue we had with the room was the lack of fridge, we would have liked to keep some drinks in our room, but it wasn't a life or death situation.
Love the shared bathrooms & the light indicator in our room that let us know which were vacant. There were 4 bathrooms on our floor and neither of us ever had to wait for one. They were super clean, loved the music and the rain shower head. If you opt for the shared bathroom make sure to bring flip flops for the bathroom/shower.
There was a only a noise problem once. Around 4AM on a Thursday morning there was a highly intoxicated girl outside our door screaming at someone (I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and say it was her boyfriend) in a foreign language. Not exactly the way I wanted to wake up the morning of an audition... but I poked my head out the door and politely asked if she could perhaps go to her room or basically anywhere but right outside my door and she obliged.
There's a good variety of delis & little cafes close by as well as some fabulous restaurants.
I've recommended this hotel to anyone & everyone I know who's planning on traveling to NYC and if I didn't live here now myself, I'd stay there again in a heartbeat!
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the Pod Hotel delivered on all things promised. Cute is definitely the key word here. The lobby was much fancier than I anticipated, and the music made me dance.
Our room (the double private bath) was tiny tiny, but charming. This place is soooo clean. The tiles look like they are scrubbed daily. I too peeked into the shared bathrooms, much larger than our closet bathroom.
A few misses: The internet connection can be lame at times. No fridge in the room (note: the air conditioner can keep your drinks cold if you put them on top). I mean this place is for people trying to save some money, and often times these people bring their own food, so lounge area with microwave and such would be a nice edition. There is some noise with the doors opening and closing. oh and the elevator smelled like farts. This could've been an isolated incident ;)
I was happy to find a place that we could afford to stay in, and still have some cash left to enjoy the city.
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I am completely in awe about how awesome this place is. I will never stay in another hotel when visiting NYC. There's no point in being snobby about hotels and spending the equivalent of a month's rent on a week of hotels. I do business and it's a perfectly fine space for that, too. Got it on Expedia for ~$115/night for a private bathroom. Incredible deal.
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Last time I stayed in New York for awhile I went the hostel route and realized 5 days in that I'm getting a little too old for the bunking with strangers. So this time around I booked a few nights at The Pod on 51st between 2nd and 3rd. Wow, what a difference throwing an extra $100 down a night makes!
My flight had gotten me into town around 9am and I had stupidly opted to stay up all night beforehand due to a fear of sleeping through my alarm. I only brought a messenger bag with, but being so exhausted I prayed the Pod would let me check in early. Happily they did with zero fuss and I was quickly napping in my tiny, cute room on a firm mattress.
Some features I really enjoyed were the in-room sinks, the lights notifying you of bathrooms vacancy status, the styling of the window blinds, and the dimmer switch for the overhead light. I also liked that the maid service respected that during my entire stay I kept the "Do Not Disturb" tag on my door and did not try to pressure me to allow them in. You may be thinking "Of course they didn't pressure you, one less room to deal with goofball!", but I have been mildly harassed at other establishments for opting out on their services.
I would give this place fives stars if the water pressure was stronger in the bathroom and if the room had a coffee maker. Mama needs to be able to get all the soap out of her hair and get her caffeine fix as soon as her eyes crack open.
Overall excellent location close to many subway stations, restaurants, and markets. I will return to the Pod on my next trip.
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Alright I am a New Yorker, born and bred so when I moved away it was a big decision as to where I shoudl stay for a visit. Was I going to go big, stay someplace touristy, perhaps an outer borough? No i wanted to be able to get in, get caught up and get out. The Pod Hotel is the place for just that, it is everything you need and nothing you don't, the price can;t be beat, it's clean, convinienent and hip enough to earn some cool points without being a boutique hotel. I had a double with my own bathroom, it was great, I was one person and it was the perfect size, there was free wifi and a plasma tv in room. I slept there and hung out in the cool courtyard, has a very European feel and gets a lot of overseas tourists. Ultimately a very good experience, as I mentioned, clean, cheap, convenient and cool. I will definitely stay here again!
I'm not gonna lie, I like luxurious hotel rooms and have been known to forgo some spending money while traveling in exchange for a stay at a better hotel. However at 130ish a night, I decided to give the Pod Hotel a whirl and spend more money on the important things of a celebratory trip - liquor!
With flat screens (which can be a bit hard to watch from the bed especially with the fluff-less pillows they have), ipod docking stations, a sink in the room and wireless internet access (which was a bit slow) the Pod hotel is like the best dorm evah!. I was right next to a shared bathroom and never saw anyone in there except me when I looked in the mirror. Now the thing people should be warned about is the length of the beds. I'm like what, 5ft tall and the bed had only an few additional inches on me. So I imagine if ya over 5'5 and don't sleep in the fetal position this must be annoying.
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I love this hotel.
Whenever I come to NY I only stay here. The price is inexpensive, travel to TS is not too bad, and the rooms are dooooope.
I usually get the double room because I like the privacy of being able to use the restroom in all of my glory. The shower/toilet area is pretty sexy its see-thru. Careful with the sink, pull the lever gently so you don't get water all over your clothes like I always do. The rooms are clean and I had no trouble with the wifi. Now for me, I'm usually in my room for about 7hrs/day on the average just to sleep. The staff is accommodating and sometimes they have free drinks in the lounge area at night time.
I will say my only complaint is people getting all crazy with their ipods on the docking station...why am I able to hear your music OUTSIDE of your room =(
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Close to several train lines, the Pod Hotel is an excellent bargain. My boyfriend and I got the bunk bed/shared bathrooms. Even with two bathrooms, we never had a problem with the bathrooms since there is a light above the door that indicates if the bathroom is being occupied.
The decor is very beautiful and the hotel, even the bathrooms, are very clean.
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Staying here surprisingly suited our stay really well. It has hip decor and everything seems to be pretty new and well kept.
Here's the gimmick of the Pod. All the rooms are small and you have to share bathrooms with other guests. Forget about getting a kitchen.
The other side of the coin is that they do it really well. All the doors are key card accessed. Staff is at your service 24/7. Sheets and beds are clean, unlike some hostels. Our room had a bunk bed with ladder. Each bed has their own individual tv that folds into its side! They have a good amount of stations including the United Nations Channel. You do get your own sink, but bathrooms are shared.
I was expecting slightly scary bathrooms, but these are really clean! They even have soap and shampoo dispensers if you forgot you amenities. They have cool subtle music playing the background. I was surprised to hear The Fugees as I was drying myself off. There are three bathrooms on every floor. There are two regular sized ones and one deluxe bathroom. The deluxe bathroom is huge! It's almost the size of a regular room. It comes with a painting, extra space, and a shower with multiple heads. I'm not a fan of three heads spraying at me in every direction, but most people will probably like it.
The noise is pretty minimal. I never really even saw any other customers while I was there. I never had to wait for a bathroom. It was kinda odd, especially since it was summer tourist seasons. What a relief.
No kitchen, but you're in New York! Everyone should take advantage of the great dining capital of the nation. The Pod's location is an easy stroll from many big names and of course there's the great public transportation system.
The lobby is pretty stylish. It has a good arrangement of seating. The entrance wall has cool imagery to greet you. Most of the time you'll be out touring the city, so you won't be staying here for long. Oh yeah, if you want to iron, they do offer an ironing board and iron in the room. It came it handy when we had to dress up for a fancy dinner.
My friend and I moved to a different hotel later on. It was bigger, had a kitchen, and its own bathroom. Strangely I liked the Pod better. Mostly because you get your own bathroom time and you don't have to watch the same thing on TV.
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What the Pod lacks in space, it excels in every other detail. Like living at dorm, but with New York as your campus.
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A great value in an absolutely safe and convenient area. Yes, it is small. Yes, you maybe sharing a bathroom. Yes, it is pretty loud. But, you can't beat the price. It is clean, although the bathrooms can get a little funky early in the mornings.
My friend and I shared one of the rooms with the bunks. It was like a small dorm room. You have to know your friend pretty well, but if you don't, you will get to know them REALLY well by the end of your trip. But, it's a fun experience, and way better than a hostel.
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Luxurious The Pod Hotel ain't.
Clean, inexpensive & conveniently located it is however.
The design is very trendy & mod...a little too trendy & mod. I wouldn't call it pretentious but it did seem like it was trying too hard.
The rooms are small & come equipped with the merest of necessities. Some have bathrooms/shower, some do not. All have at least a small sink. The rooms are extremely tiny & the walls almost useless. Of all the NYC hotels I've stayed in, this was by far the noisiest - all night you heard doors slamming, the communal toilets flushing, I could hear the TVs in the room next to mine. The mattress was OUTRAGEOUSLY hard & the sheets scratchy. No bathrobes included. As I said, no luxuries whatsoever.
I am very much tempted to give this place two stars or less. I realize that would be unfair however as I would be simply comparing it to other accommodations in NYC that I've stayed in. & in my opinion, for me to compare Pod to any of NYCs boutique hotels which I've experienced is simply not right - they are horses of totally different colors.
The Pod Hotel doesn't pretend to be luxurious or fanciful, its basically a glorified hostel. You get what they advertise & what you pay for. Its not a "bad" place by any means. The very hard mattress & noisy hallways at night are annoying however & my biggest complaint.
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Compared to most spots in manhattan, the pod is a steal, no doubt. It could've been a bit cheaper though, and even though i knew i was getting a room with a double bed that would probably not be long enough for me, the fact that the little desk thing was situated at the foot of the bed made it impossible for me to stretch out.
I stayed here in november and although it was a bit unseasonably warm the room was SWELTERING, so i can only imagine how bad it can be in the summer. I kept the window open the entire time i was in the room.
The bathrooms were pretty clean and seem to be well maintained. My only gripe is, its kind of a pain in the ass when you're hungover to have to get up, put on your pants, and walk all of fifteen to twenty feet around the corner to the bathroom.
Although the location is convenient for transpo (the 6 train is only a block away), i didn't really wander around the neightborhood too much, and didn't have any interest in the rest of midtown either. For that reason, i don't know if i'd stay here again. However, sufficed to say i wouldn't rule it out either. The pod is solid.
Perfect for not doing more than sleeping & brushing your teeth.
My travel companion and I had bunkbeds. We were impressed by the how the room was functional and clean. Stainless steel sink, personal small screen t.v.'s with each bunk, and open closet. The two bathrooms down the hall were clean -- and the one with the broken lock was pristine. As it was, we didn't experience a wait to use the sole, lockable, bathroom.
Noise was a small issue since our room was across the hall from the elevator, but the serious offenders where the guests in the room next to ours. They sounded like they were in our room the next morning, probably because we shared a door as if the room's could be shared.
One of three elevators had a sign that it was out of order. The other two were small and always busy so there was a slight wait for their use.
Over all, a good experience.
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this is THE place to stay if you're visiting NYC. It's stylishly modern and the pricing isn't too bad either.
For NYC, you can't beat it.
Conveniently located in a neighborhood with lots of places to eat and shop, The POD Hotel is a fantastic place to stay.
The rooftop deck and the garden patio are breathtaking. I was here for Fourth of July once and it was fantastic watching the fireworks from up there.
If you're young and can deal with staying in a super small space, you must stay here.
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