Ga-dunk, ga-dunk, ga-dunk, ga-dunk, ga-dunk, ga-dunk ...no, that's not a Buddhist chant. It's the sound of my Tumi suitcase rolling upstairs four flights at the Union Square Inn. So did I mention they don't have an elevator? Who thinks to ask if a hotel doesn't have an elevator? I thought I was playing a scene in "Barefoot in the Park" when Jane Fonda's mother collapses from walking up to her fifth-floor walk-up. But you can't knock a great location, close to not just Union Square but all the great eateries in the Lower East Side like Momofuku. And I was surprised that for all the congestion on 14th Street that the room is pretty quiet. It's just small and non-descript with a bathroom that was almost as big as the bedroom. I secured a double bed for two for about $172 on a Saturday night, so it is definitely one of the better deals in this part of Manhattan. Service is surprisingly nice there and very responsive to requests like getting a private car for the airport. They do serve a free continental breakfast, and unlike the croissants and Nutella you would find in Italian hotels, you see a massive pile of bagels and tubs of cream cheese for the taking. Hey, it ain't the Waldorf Astoria, but if you need a reasonably priced place to crash for a couple of nights in Manhattan, this place is worth checking out...but pack light lest you get a hernia! read more

It's decent. The fact that there is no elevator sucks but they have people that will help you carry bags up/down your stairs. The rooms are quaint...I had the single with the queen sized bed with the most uncomfortable mattress. The bathrooms feels cramped tho. And figuring out the shower was like hacking a padlock trying to find that sweet spot of the mis-marked temperature settings. And it's one of those showers that you feel like you wouldn't want to be barefoot in. But positive points include convenient location to subway and union square. They secure the door that leads to the main stairway. And there is a water cooler. And I truly feel like that make efforts to make your stay comfortable. I probably wouldn't stay there unless I was on a super tight budget. read more

We found this hotel by looking at Yelp and Trip Advisor. We wanted a cheap room but nothing too grungy or old. Likes: - Our room had a private bathroom, so that was nice. We were on the 5th floor. - Room came with the basic amenities: bed, shower, tv, clothes rack, towels, shampoo/lotion. - Clean room - No bed bugs anywhere. - Very easy access to Union Square and the subway stations. It's a great location. - Couple blocks down from Trader's Joe and several drug stores. - Lots of restaurants around the area. You'll never be hungry! Dislikes: - Continental breakfast was disappointing. It was orange juice, coffee, plain bagels, and one kind of pastries. The pastries and bagels were not tasty. After one morning of the breakfast, we never came back. - No hairdryer. - The shower door opened weird. - Room was extremely tiny for the price. We paid around $200/night for 4 nights. The room was smaller than my college dorm room. - The bed and the pillows need to be changed. Our pillows were extremely lumpy. - The customer service at the front desk varied. Some were more helpful than others. - The lack of elevators may be an issue with some people. It didn't bother us to climb the stairs, but just don't come with a heavy luggage. I may consider coming back since we just stayed here to sleep. Tip: If you are coming from the airport, I would highly recommend coming from JFK. We came from La Guardia airport, and the taxi cost was killer. $45 (flat fee) going from the hotel to the airport and around $50 going from the airport to the hotel. If come from JFK, at least you can take the Metro Subway. read more

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My lease is just about coming to an end after my 6 month stay here. Let me just start by saying I thought it was too good to be true when I met Cezary (the property manager) because of how friendly and accommodating he was. He's just the kind of guy to help make you feel at home in a Not to mention the super, Felix, who really puts the "super" in superintendent. Honestly, this guy is a life saver if you have any appliance issues or general concerns. Super friendly as well! The location of these apartments is phenomenal; you can find at least one spot for every cuisine that delivers to you. To boot, you're a mere 2 blocks away from the union sq station, which is SUPER convenient. Never any noisy neighbor issues (in my experience), room service, and the above-mentioned perks are what led me to write this review. Highly recommended! read more

Location, location, location. It's an easy stroll to the bustling Union Square about a block and a half away. There's also easy access to the subway stations too. Now, about the place itself. You get what you pay for (remember, this is relative as it's New York) and since it was December (apparently people like coming to New York in December), this was one of the only value-oriented places that I could find. I guess I should take it as a compliment that I look like a strapping young man, as they put me on the 5th floor. Did I mention no elevator. 68 steps each way. Yes, I counted. Then there's the other stuff, like slow wifi, no hot water for a shower in the late afternoon, no blackout shades, cheap linens. Oh, and it's LOUD as you're on top of a busy 14th street. Hey, it's a great location. read more

Cute, little hotel with some definite quirk and charm. Decent neighborhood (super close to Dunkin Donuts, a good Thai restaurant, the Beauty Bar, and NYU) and EASY subway access. The price is a steal for what you get. Last I was here, it was staffed by a Russian (?) family. They were all unintentionally funny; the youngest boy was a bellhop/concierge and was a total doll! Note that there is NO ELEVATOR - so the higher the floor, the more you will walk. Regardless, he lugged our luggage up several flights of stairs and never lost the smile from his face. When checking in, be sure to check your hotel room windows. As we got to our first room, we opened the window to circulate some fresh air but then it wouldn't lock/close. My fave bellhop/concierge came up to investigate and was able to offer duct tape as a suggestion (repair parts wouldn't have been available for a few days). However, we were right next to a fire escape and I had seen one too many L&Os to let that one slide. Three rooms later, we found a good fit and he was kind enough to schlep our luggage up the additional flights. read more

If you don't plan on spending time in your room this is the place for you. The rooms are small... have no view and the mattress isn't too comfortable. That being said the spot is clean, relatively new and most of all cheap. I would stay here again without hesitation. Saved about $1k staying here instead of a bigger hotel. read more

Something bit me while I slept! My arm swelled and showed some fang marks. I'm guessing it was a spider and not the dreaded bed bugs, but ewwww nonetheless. I guess it's better than being bitten by someone on the subway...there's always a silver lining. It's a great place if you can book one of the rooms with a private bath and don't plan on spending lots of time in your tiny tiny tiny room. No elevator, so keep that in mind if your suitcases weigh 800 pounds. Complimentary bagels, pastry, juice and coffee in the morning. I nearly burned the place down when my bagel got stuck in the toaster and caught fire. I had my back turned and only noticed when I heard the German guests saying something like, "das is fire." Doh! read more

Awesome price for a really clean convenient place to lay your head. I would definitely reccomend this hotel and already have to anyone who like me just parties when they go to NY. The bed was pretty hard but who cares I was usually too wasted to realize it till the morning. Ultra small room but who gives a crap. Once again though, this place was CLEAN! and also really central to anything you could posibly want to do. Great way to save some money so you can buy an extra round of $8.50 Jameson shots. read more

So the price is right and the location is fabulous. The front desk attendants were pleasant. We got a room on the first floor, which was good. The room was tiny, but I expected that and it wasn't really a problem anyways since we didn't spend much time there. The shower had plenty of hot water. That was good. The bed was THE noisiest bed I have ever slept on. I mean, you couldn't even roll over without the whole floor knowing that you rolled over. It was THAT loud. Then again maybe the bed was so creaky so you could just move a lot in case you wanted to drown out the awful bubble gum pop that was pouring through the walls at all hours of the morning and night. It was pretty intense. The towels were riddled with holes and stains. The TV turned on, but most stations got giant lines across the screen after the TV had been on for more than one or two minutes. I would stay again because of the great location and the great price, but I might bring my own towels and a set of ear plugs. read more

I stayed here in mid-March (the week of St. Patty's Day). LOCATION: Location is everything for this place. It's about 2 or 3 blocks from Union Square, which places you pretty close to a bunch of subway lines that stop in Union Square. There's also a Dunkin Donuts across the street for that morning jolt and Beauty Bar a few doors down for late night suds. I don't claim to know New York that well (I've only been twice) but Union Square Inn seems to be in that physical transition zone from trendy and touristy Union Square and the more working class, gritty Alphabet City and the Lower East Side. ACCOMMODATIONS: This isn't the Waldorf Astoria. It's not even a Hampton Inn. The lobby is very quaint and utilitarian, but it's inviting for what it is. The person in the lobby controls access to the stairway leading up to the rooms which means there is a lower probability of some randos walking around the hotel. The stairway has plenty of room for your to carry things up and down. That being said, this is a 4-story walk-up, so if you have problems going up and down stairs you might want to stay somewhere else. If you plan on bringing suit cases full of lead you may want to consider somewhere with an elevator. The rooms are small (duh, it's New York). I somehow ended up with a room with 2 twin beds for my lonesome. The bedroom was about 12x12 (maybe a little bit bigger or smaller). The TV is a small 15 inch tube-TV on a wall mounted bracket. There is no closet but there was a small chest of drawers. Rather than a closet there was some metal racking installed in the bedroom giving one space to hang clothes. My small window overlooked an alleyway and right into someone's apartment across the way. The bathroom was really nice. In fact, it was too nice for this place. It was about as big as the room with all new fixtures, tiling, shower, and toilet. Maybe it was because it was new, but it was impressively clean. My only problem was the door to the stand-up shower opens inward which makes for awkward entries/exits. The beds were kind of stiff but at least I did not see any signs of bed bugs. OVERALL I don't think anyone stays here because it's a charming place. Far from it. However, this is the perfect place for someone who doesn't want to stay at a YMCA or a hostel but also doesn't have the money to blow on a nicer midtown hotel. If you're just looking for somewhere to sleep and shower, that's clean, safe, and a short walk from many major subway lines, then this is your place. read more

"This reminds of when I lived in Japan!" yelped my boyfriend when he saw the size of our very small room. Yes, the room was very diminutive (and reminiscent of Japanese dorm rooms, apparently) to say the least, about the size of my bathroom in S-ville. Yes, the furniture was kinda worn and knicked looking. Yes, there was no elevator. However: The place was clean, safe, CHEAP ($130 a night!) and in the very , very best location you could ask for: the heart of Union Square! A subway stop is right outside your door and St. Mark's place, SoHo, and the Village are just a walk away. This is wonderful when it is night-time and you are rather drunk. It felt like "home" was always just 15 minutes away. If you are not snobby about hotels and consider them mostly places to sleep when you are exhausted and to store your stuff during the day, this is the place for you. I'd stay here again in a heartbeat. read more

Great location and relatively cheap compared to others. There are no elevators, so if you's drunk and are on a high floor, cheers to ya. The window lock was not working properly so staff had to fix it. If you just need somewhere to crash and are out most of the day, this is ok. I did not get a feeling that the building was secure. read more

I signed up for 1 month lease here. Really good and clean apartments, staff was very nice and welcoming. Definitely recommend!

My 4,5 month stay flew by as I was very comfortable and well taken care of. From the moment of my arrival, Cezary made arrangements that best suited my needs. Great location. L train to Brooklyn/West Side in front of door, main hub at Union Square at 5 minutes walking distance. The neighbourhood is very safe. I lucked out with the room, since it was at the end of the hallway (close to recycle bins at end of each floor AND very quiet). The acoustic isolation is great, I practically never heard my neighbours. Felix (the super) and Dina (administration) were always there to help with whatever it may be - adding a cooking plate to my room (free of charge), changing the weekly housekeeping schedule, a chair that needed replacing, to a European that didn't know how to operate test fuses on electric sockets. You name it, they were always prepared to help with a smile. One time, Felix answered my telephone call immediately at 2:30 AM when I heard a carbon monoxide alarm coming from an adjacent room, despite him dealing with serious family issues that we talked about in a conversation earlier that week. Give that man a promotion! So, no complaints at all from me? If you'd ask me to get picky: there was a room on my floor that was being reconstructed, leading to machine noise during some days. But if that is something that throws you off, consider that you're in New York: there's always construction going on somewhere. The floorboards in my room are connected to the hallway, meaning I could feel vibrations everytime someone passed my door (which didn't happen much, since I'm at the end of the hallway). However, if that is the only thing to remind me that I have neighbours at all, I'd say "Job very well done for this price range." After a busy day, I always enjoyed coming home here. Conclusion: look at this place for a quiet, comfortable, friendly, great location in Manhattan. Good for senior or grad students that are not going to cook much more than ramen noodles. Don't come here if you are a young student looking for the dorm experience, because you won't meet much people. Better to look for co-housing in Brooklyn, in that case. Good luck! read more

My daughter was moving to NYC from out of state. Emily was very helpful and gracious and walked us through the process and sent us pictures of the apartment. Felix, the Super, was very helpful; delivering tons of packages to her apartment before she moved in. The apartment was perfect with lots of space. Very clean building too. And the location was great, close to school and main subway lines. The neighborhood is safe and friendly. A wash and fold laundry is right next store. Apartment cleaning weekly is included. All in all a great place to stay. read more

It's not the Plaza - which actually I'm not a fan of - but it's good. Rooms are good sizes, bathrooms clean and nice. Don't care about the breakfast nonsense because why would I eat here when there are so many other places one can enjoy in The Village. Staff was exceptional. Reserved two rooms. Hubby and I had daughter and a baby on board. Rooms were available earlier than was expected. Stroller was stored in the baggage facility for easy accesibility. I will be back. read more

On a recent trip to NYC I had the pleasure of staying at the Union Sq. Inn. I picked it because it was very close to my destination for the trip and didn't want to travel much other than on foot once I arrived. The rooms were quaint and clean. Ours was tucked away in the corner next to the stairs. They must sound proof this place because not only did I not hear the other quests but didn't hear the street outside. The staff is helpful and friendly. No elevator (we were offered assistance with our bags multiple times by the staff) or ice machine (FYI The Food Emporium is about 2-3 blocks down 14th and sells ice). But these are small prices to pay for such a great value in NYC. read more

Perfect for a weekend in NYC when you won't be in your room much and just need a comfy, non-sketchy place to rest your head. This East Village inn is super cozy, clean and convenient to get to. I would definitely stay here again, because it's not outrageously expensive like most places in NYC but takes care of all your basic needs. They are not afraid to crank up the heat during the winter (a plus but it can get a tad dry), and they also offer a free continental breakfast! Front desk staff were mostly friendly and helpful too. I don't need fancy accoutrements in my hotel room as long as it is clean. I am so freakin' scared of bed bugs... read more

Union Square Apartments is a great place to stay, I stayed there for four months.You can't beat the location. Management is very friendly, accommodating and professional, they would do everything possible to make you feel comfortable. Cezary in the management office is great, he was very helpful from the get go and made sure my stay is comfortable. The super Felix is also very friendly and he made sure I had no issue with the apartment. They provide housekeeping once a week, apartments are nice, clean & have fast Wifi, I didn't have a single issue during my entire stay,I highly recommend this place and I would definitely go back for stay there in the future if and when needed. read more

This place was great -- prime location! Affordable! Clean! It's not a 5-star hotel, by any means, and it's not super plush, but for what we needed, it really did the job. The room was clean/adequate size/modern. Nice big shower and huge TV. We were on the 4th floor (walk up), which was fine for us, but that might be good to note if you're traveling with older folks. Good place to stay if you want to be close to the action without breaking the bank. read more

I stayed 1 night with my girlfriends for my birthday. It was the perfect location to the theatre, food and pubs. It had a very nice complimentary breakfast and a small cozy room. I would stay here again. The price was excellent. The staff was very nice and helpful and the room clean. No elevator which wasnt a problem but could use an ice machine in lobby. Everything you need to have for a nice night and day in the city .. read more

NO HOT WATER----Even when you do get it, it is not consistent. I am presently staying at Union Square Inn. If you enjoy taking a nice warm shower regularly, do not count on it here. The hot water is not consistent. During my stay at Union Square, so far there has been three instances without hot water (within a short period of time). Each time, management claimed they fixed the problem. It is summer time and summers tend to be very hot in NY; hence daily showers are a necessity. Also, the place is very noisy...noise from the street and also from other tenants who decide that they will have full blown conversations in the hallway (e.g. girl dumps boy, people sitting on the stairs talking on their phone for 30-45 minutes loudly). The hallways tend to have an unpleasant odor and the floors are dirty; carpet needs cleaning. read more

Wanted to experience "real" New York so booked a few nights here. Yes, you cannot beat the location, bustling neighborhood and close to tons of shops and Union Square and the subway. I'm a single mum travelling with my two boys, ages 9 and 14, so didn't expect mega-luxury, as it was a budget, boutique hotel. After checking in, we were told our room was downstairs. We walked down the stairs (no elevators) and the room door was directly at the bottom of the stairs in the basement. The room felt like a dungeon, with worn old carpet and bedspreads and no natural light. I opened the blind in the tiny window there was, and it had bars on it and looked out into a dingy alleyway strewn with garbage and burnt wood...frankly it was creepy and reminded me of some scary old school horror movie or a place you rent by the hour. Went and asked if we could have a different room upstairs maybe? Nothing was available until Wednesday with two beds. Didn't sleep all night, very loud, heard other guests trudging up and down the wooden staircase until 5am, talking loudly. We checked out the next day and won't go back. This is a place for partiers who are too wasted to care where they sleep. They only charged me for one night and didn't make a fuss about us leaving after only one night even though we'd booked for 4, so that was good. read more

The reason why I put one star for this inn is not because of the condition of my room, but because of the time I spent worrying about my Security Deposit. Let me explain. In the agreements that were given to me by the Union Square Inn, they stated that my deposit would be returned to me within 30 days from the date of my departure. I rented the room for a month and the Security Deposit was around the same amount as my monthly rental, so it was a large sum of money. I am a student, so I really needed that money back. I left June 28th. Towards the end of the 30 days, I called them to see if they had sent me the deposit. When I called the first time, I was told I would get my deposit by the 30-day mark. The 30-day mark passed. When I called the second time, it would be returned before August 1st. August 1st passed. When I called the third time, I was redirected to another person and was told that I would for sure get my deposit back within the first two weeks of August. This was clearly very frustrating to me. Towards the end of the first two weeks of August, I called again, and I was told that my deposit would be sent to me on that day. Thankfully, I got my deposit back, but these types of delays were unacceptable. The agreements were breached, and when I told them that, they did not seem to care about them. Also, the Director of Leasing, who has her cell-phone number as one of her contacts in all of her emails, hung up on me rudely when I tried to call her about this matter. In my eyes, that was extremely unprofessional and disrespectful. I will not be staying there again. read more

I stayed here for four months and my experience was fabulous! Cezary is very helpful in finding a room that is perfect for you and meets your needs. The building is very clean- I never even saw any time of bug or anything unusual like you would see in other NYC buildings. The housekeeping staff is very friendly, and does a great job cleaning the rooms. The staff is very accommodating and does their absolute best to make this feel like home. You can't beat the location... the L train is right outside your door and the Union Square subway station is about a 5 minute walk. I was really nervous about moving in and living on the 5th floor but the staff was kind enough to help me carry my belongings up. The building is very safe (you have to go through 2 doors to get to your apartment). Utilities are included in rent, showers are great, and the AC does a great job cooling down the room. There is a recycling area conveniently located on each floor. Neighbors are very friendly and not noisy. So blessed to have found this place & very sad to be leaving. Thank you Union Square Apartments! read more

As a prospective NYU student visiting, I stayed here because of the location. It is one of the closest hotels to the Washington Square Park area, and without a doubt the most inexpensive. The hotel was very clean and nice. I love the location because of the vicinity to Union Square and East Village. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone traveling on a budget, especially fellow students like myself who needed a place to stay to check out college. read more

The hotel has renovated rooms, all staff are polite and speak English well. The price is reasonable and the location is terrific.