New York · USA
Hotel 31
Walk to Grand Central and the Empire State Building from clean rooms with daily housekeeping; some baths are shared, and the tiny lift is manual.
HostelPunk native reviews
First-party field notes
No first-party HostelPunk reviews yet. Be the first signal.
Vibe Analysis
Hotel 31 lives inside an old pre-war building in central Manhattan, with classic ornaments, vintage decor, and a sense of stepping back in time. The standout quirk is the original gate-style cage elevator that you open by hand, fitting only about three or four people at a time. With luggage it becomes a real chore, sometimes taking several trips, and it can break down and leave you hiking up to high floors. The location is the main draw and it is excellent: a couple of blocks from the subway, walking distance to Grand Central, the Empire State Building, Times Square, and plenty of restaurants, cafes, and bodegas. Some rooms even look out toward the Empire State. The area feels safe, including at night. For the price in this part of the city, the value is hard to beat. Rooms are small, simple, and old-fashioned, typically with a bed, a sink in the room, and a TV. Many rooms share hallway bathrooms (often two per floor), though private-bathroom rooms are also available. Cleanliness is a strong point: rooms and shared bathrooms are kept tidy, with daily housekeeping and fresh towels. Some rooms have a mini fridge, and a few even have a small kitchenette. There is luggage storage, an extended-stay option, and a shared microwave. Staff are often a high point, with names like Greg and Ameer standing out as friendly and helpful. This is a no-frills, budget place best suited to solo travelers or couples who just need a clean, well-located spot to crash. It is not a fit for large groups, families needing space, or anyone wanting modern, accessible, or fancy accommodations.
Signals to check
- Hallways and floors can reek of cigarette smoke and cannabis, sometimes strongly enough to disturb sleep, despite a non-smoking policy.
- Walls are thin and rooms sit close together, so noisy neighbors and street noise can carry; light sleepers may want earplugs.
- Rooms are small and old, storage is limited (some have no closet), and decor is dated; a few rooms face a wall.
- The manual gate elevator is tiny and slow, struggles with luggage, and has broken down and stranded people on upper floors.
- AC units can be old, noisy, or restricted at night, and heating and water pressure are sometimes inadequate.
- There have been isolated but serious problems: bed bug bites, cockroaches, and a stain on bedding, so check your room.
- Theft of belongings has happened, including money from the in-room safe and items going missing after checkout.
- Service can turn sour: rude or dismissive front-desk handling of refunds, booking errors, and complaints, and discriminatory treatment has occurred.
- Some rooms lack a private bathroom; confirm what you are booking, since bathrooms are shared by the floor.
- WiFi is often weak or unreliable, there is no breakfast, and not every room has an in-room microwave.