Pros

  • Some of Manhattan's most reasonable prices (the trade-off is very small rooms)
  • Despite being tiny, rooms are somewhat stylish and are well-designed to maximize space
  • Unique rooftop bar with hand-crafted cocktails, good views, and landmarked brick architecture
  • Colorful, communal Playroom "hangout" space has a bar and two ping-pong tables
  • Popular Mexican restaurant Salvation Taco, by well-respected chef April Bloomfield and restaurateur Ken Friedman
  • Free Wi-Fi
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Cons

  • Few amenities in order to keep room costs down: no room service, fitness center, or business center
  • Rooms are tiny
  • Immediate neighborhood is unexciting, though several sights are within walking distance
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Bottom Line

The idea of the 366-room Pod 39 hotel is to offer very small rooms (even by New York City standards, a city notorious for small hotels rooms) for low prices (again, by New York City standards). Rooms range from 55 to 140 square feet, and prices start at $119 per night. The smallest rooms, or pods, only fit one person, but all have private bathrooms and smart design touches, like storage under the bed, train-inspired coat hooks, double flat-screen TVs for guests in bunk beds, and both outlets and a "cell phone" close to the pillows. There are three seriously cool -- and colorful -- public spaces: an upscale Mexican restaurant, a rooftop bar with unique architecture, and a hangout space called the Playroom. The hotel keeps prices low by cutting back on amenities and services, but it's a great option for anyone who wants a low price tag without sacrificing cleanliness, comfort, and style.

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Oyster Hotel Review

Pod 39 Hotel

Location

The hotel's Murray Hill location is quiet and fairly convenient, if not terribly glamorous.

Pod 39 is on a fairly quiet one-way street (lots of cars but not much action beyond that). The nearby avenues have some shops and places to eat, while 39th Street is basically residential. The advantage: a quieter night's sleep.

The mostly residential neighborhoods of Gramercy and Murray Hill don't have the tourist crowds of Times Square or Midtown East (the latter is just a few blocks north). Bryant Park and the Morgan Library Museum are both within walking distance, as are many shops and restaurants of every ethnicity, not to mention a plethora of sports bars on Third Avenue. But for most visitors, the main draw is that it's a quiet, convenient place to stay, just removed from -- but not too far from -- Broadway theaters, restaurants and bars in the East Village, and the business-focused hub and high-end Fifth Avenue shopping of Midtown East.

  • 5-minute walk to Grand Central Terminal and its six subway lines
  • 9-minute walk to the New York Public Library and a 10-minute walk to adjacent Bryant Park
  • 13-minute walk to the Empire State Building
  • 15-minute walk to Times Square, or about 10 minutes by subway
  • 18-minute walk to Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral (plus shopping on Fifth Avenue)
  • 18-minute walk to Madison Square Park
  • 24-minute walk to Union Square or 11 minutes by subway
  • 13 minutes by subway to Central Park
  • 19 minutes by subway to Wall Street
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Oyster Hotel Review

Pod 39 Hotel

Location

The hotel's Murray Hill location is quiet and fairly convenient, if not terribly glamorous.

Pod 39 is on a fairly quiet one-way street (lots of cars but not much action beyond that). The nearby avenues have some shops and places to eat, while 39th Street is basically residential. The advantage: a quieter night's sleep.

The mostly residential neighborhoods of Gramercy and Murray Hill don't have the tourist crowds of Times Square or Midtown East (the latter is just a few blocks north). Bryant Park and the Morgan Library Museum are both within walking distance, as are many shops and restaurants of every ethnicity, not to mention a plethora of sports bars on Third Avenue. But for most visitors, the main draw is that it's a quiet, convenient place to stay, just removed from -- but not too far from -- Broadway theaters, restaurants and bars in the East Village, and the business-focused hub and high-end Fifth Avenue shopping of Midtown East.

  • 5-minute walk to Grand Central Terminal and its six subway lines
  • 9-minute walk to the New York Public Library and a 10-minute walk to adjacent Bryant Park
  • 13-minute walk to the Empire State Building
  • 15-minute walk to Times Square, or about 10 minutes by subway
  • 18-minute walk to Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral (plus shopping on Fifth Avenue)
  • 18-minute walk to Madison Square Park
  • 24-minute walk to Union Square or 11 minutes by subway
  • 13 minutes by subway to Central Park
  • 19 minutes by subway to Wall Street
See More Location

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Babysitting Services

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Gameroom / Arcade

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Pets Allowed

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Supervised Kids Activities

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.