Pros

  • Free Wi-Fi and free parking
  • Free breakfast with breads, cereal, fruits, eggs, meats, and waffles
  • Free shuttle every half hour to subway
  • Extra pillows and blankets in each room
  • Short cab ride away from LaGuardia Airport
  • 90 percent non-smoking hotel
  • Small business center with two PCs
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Cons

  • Far from train station (15-minute walk)
  • Not close to Manhattan's main attractions
  • Across the street from a cemetery
  • No fitness facility
See More Cons

Bottom Line

The City View Inn is a 71-room budget hotel in a slightly unattractive residential area of Queens. It has run-of-the-mill decor, bland yet spacious rooms and, depending on your room number, views of the Manhattan skyline or a cemetery. While it is physically far from the subway -- which is necessary to access tourist spots in Manhattan -- the hotel offers a shuttle to the nearest train station. Some of the hotel's competitors are located closer to public transportation, but the City View Inn offers free full breakfast as opposed to a limited continental breakfast. There is no fitness facility or full business center, but free Wi-Fi and parking are available.

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Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet

Oyster Hotel Review

City View Inn

Scene

No-frills budget hotel for an in-and-out stay

The City View Inn is a quaint value hotel geared towards in-and-out guests on a quick New York visit. The lobby is small and its decor is simple, with four plain black leather couches, marble floors, creme wallpaper and wood paneling accents. There is a small outdoor sitting area decorated with white fencing, flower pots and wooden benches beside the hotel's main entrance, which is technically in a parking lot. Prior to 1987, the Victorian building -- which has vines crawling up its brick exterior -- was once Public School 80, then an Orthodox Yeshiva. You can still see "Boys" and "Girls" etched in block letters in the marble above old entrances.

See More Scene

Location

An urban residential area right outside of the big city

The hotel is housed on a non-scenic city block in Long Island City, Queens, very close to a busy highway and directly across the street from a large cemetery. The surrounding Sunnyside neighborhood is mainly residential, with small businesses and delis on the blocks nearby. Midtown Manhattan is just two miles (a few train stops) away, and from there guests can walk to popular sights such as Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park. Within Queens, CitiField baseball field and Queens Center Mall are both less than a 15-minute drive away. The hotel provides a free shuttle to the subway every 30 minutes, but if you want to venture out on your own time, the commute can be inconvenient. The closest train station is six long blocks (a 15-minute walk) away.

  • 11-minute drive to Queens Center Mall
  • 12-minute drive to LaGuardia Airport
  • 14-minute drive to CitiField
  • 35-minute drive to JFK
See More Location

Rooms

Basic decor with extra bedding and limited views of the Manhattan skyline

The rooms -- all of which are either King Size Single or Double Bed rooms -- all follow a similar run-of-the-mill design as the lobby, with creme wallpaper and wooden accents. They are spacious enough and come with extra pillows and blankets in the closets. However, only even-numbered rooms come with a city view of the Manhattan skyline. There is only one handicap-accessible room on the first floor of the building.

See More Rooms

Features

No fitness facility, but freebies include breakfast, parking, Wi-Fi, and shuttle service to the train

Some of this hotel's competitors are located much closer to public transportation, but a lot of budget properties only offer continental breakfast. This hotel offers a free full breakfast complete with breads, cereal, fruits, hot eggs, breakfast meat, and waffles. There is no pool or fitness center. The business center -- which is a small cubicle within the main lobby -- has two computers and a printer/copier. However, guests may use the Breakfast Room to conduct meetings. In addition to breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking, and a shuttle to the train station are also free.

See More Features

Things You Should Know About City View Inn

Also Known As

  • BEST WESTERN City View Inn

Address

3317 Greenpoint Ave, Long Island City, New York 11101-2011, United States

Website

Oyster Hotel Review

City View Inn

Scene

No-frills budget hotel for an in-and-out stay

The City View Inn is a quaint value hotel geared towards in-and-out guests on a quick New York visit. The lobby is small and its decor is simple, with four plain black leather couches, marble floors, creme wallpaper and wood paneling accents. There is a small outdoor sitting area decorated with white fencing, flower pots and wooden benches beside the hotel's main entrance, which is technically in a parking lot. Prior to 1987, the Victorian building -- which has vines crawling up its brick exterior -- was once Public School 80, then an Orthodox Yeshiva. You can still see "Boys" and "Girls" etched in block letters in the marble above old entrances.

See More Scene

Location

An urban residential area right outside of the big city

The hotel is housed on a non-scenic city block in Long Island City, Queens, very close to a busy highway and directly across the street from a large cemetery. The surrounding Sunnyside neighborhood is mainly residential, with small businesses and delis on the blocks nearby. Midtown Manhattan is just two miles (a few train stops) away, and from there guests can walk to popular sights such as Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park. Within Queens, CitiField baseball field and Queens Center Mall are both less than a 15-minute drive away. The hotel provides a free shuttle to the subway every 30 minutes, but if you want to venture out on your own time, the commute can be inconvenient. The closest train station is six long blocks (a 15-minute walk) away.

  • 11-minute drive to Queens Center Mall
  • 12-minute drive to LaGuardia Airport
  • 14-minute drive to CitiField
  • 35-minute drive to JFK
See More Location

Rooms

Basic decor with extra bedding and limited views of the Manhattan skyline

The rooms -- all of which are either King Size Single or Double Bed rooms -- all follow a similar run-of-the-mill design as the lobby, with creme wallpaper and wooden accents. They are spacious enough and come with extra pillows and blankets in the closets. However, only even-numbered rooms come with a city view of the Manhattan skyline. There is only one handicap-accessible room on the first floor of the building.

See More Rooms

Features

No fitness facility, but freebies include breakfast, parking, Wi-Fi, and shuttle service to the train

Some of this hotel's competitors are located much closer to public transportation, but a lot of budget properties only offer continental breakfast. This hotel offers a free full breakfast complete with breads, cereal, fruits, hot eggs, breakfast meat, and waffles. There is no pool or fitness center. The business center -- which is a small cubicle within the main lobby -- has two computers and a printer/copier. However, guests may use the Breakfast Room to conduct meetings. In addition to breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking, and a shuttle to the train station are also free.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Fitness Center

  • Free Breakfast

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Swim-Up Bar

  • Tennis Court

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.