138 Bowery — Hotel in New York

The two most important elements for any NYC hotel are noise insulation and blackout blinds, and this new hotel apparently (and remarkably) decided against both. From the photos, it looked a lot like the Arlo hotels, which I love—definitely new, similar construction and presumably more space than either Arlo for a slightly less desirable location but a better price—but having stayed on a 3rd floor, Bowery Street-facing room on a recent Saturday night, I can tell you that this hotel is nothing like the Arlos and that the shortcuts were a huge mistake. The sounds—rumbling, big trucks, city buses, a ton of honking cars, and screaming, drunk people, were so loud that I may as well have been outside, and the chintzy curtains left large gaps of awful light shining through all night long. I’ve stayed in many NYC hotels over the years, and perfect dark and quiet is quite hard to come by. But this is the absolute worst that I’ve experienced. Added to that, the Bowery street view is as depressing as it gets, my floor-to-ceiling window was filthy, and the main subway lines are not that close. I recommend that you save yourself the trouble—for the same price, or slightly more, you can have a much more luxurious and restful experience. Absent noise insulation and new, full-coverage blackout blinds, this building really isn’t fit for hotel use. As-is, and with a steep discount from current prices, it may be a good hostel-type option for those who can sleep...

The two most important elements for any NYC hotel are noise insulation and blackout blinds, and this new hotel apparently (and remarkably) decided against both. From the photos, it looked a lot like the Arlo hotels, which I love—definitely new, similar construction and presumably more space than either Arlo for a slightly less desirable location but a better price—but having stayed on a 3rd floor, Bowery Street-facing room on a recent Saturday night, I can tell you that this hotel is nothing like the Arlos and that the shortcuts were a huge mistake. The sounds—rumbling, big trucks, city buses, a ton of honking cars, and screaming, drunk people, were so loud that I may as well have been outside, and the chintzy curtains left large gaps of awful light shining through all night long. I’ve stayed in many NYC hotels over the years, and perfect dark and quiet is quite hard to come by. But this is the absolute worst that I’ve experienced. Added to that, the Bowery street view is as depressing as it gets, my floor-to-ceiling window was filthy, and the main subway lines are not that close. I recommend that you save yourself the trouble—for the same price, or slightly more, you can have a much more luxurious and restful experience. Absent noise insulation and new, full-coverage blackout blinds, this building really isn’t fit for hotel use. As-is, and with a steep discount from current prices, it may be a good hostel-type option for those who can sleep...

I visit NY regularly for work and though I'm always looking for a good deal I refuse to stay in a chain hotel. There are so many beautiful places with big windows, high ceilings, and stylish design to choose from, although its tricky to find one that isn't very very expensive. I think 138 Bowery is new, and it's the perfect balance. GREAT location with easy access to SOHO and all of the hip restaurants, designer vintage, etc in the lower east side. I got a perfectly fresh, clean, bright rear facing room with a very soft, big bed, and clean, modern and beautiful design. The floor to ceiling loft-style window gave it that NY feel, and my room was rear-facing onto, actually, quite a lovely view of some tidy brick buildings and a few trees. Also, because it was rear-facing is was super shushy and quiet, and felt like a bit of a retreat from the city. You don't pay huge money. I guess this is because the bathrooms aren't super glamorous - just well equipped, clean, new, and comfortable. ||||the desk staff were always ind and helpful. On my last day, Jerta didn't think twice about helping me make a special arrangement to host a videoconference. That's the kind of really caring and helpful service you might expect at 1K per night, but I honestly didn't expect to get the royal treatment for what I paid. ||||All in all, a great little place to set up camp if you're a fussy traveler who loves...