The Local NY — Hotel in New York

My nightmare of a stay in the local NYC What started as a normal stay ended up being one of my worst experiences ever staying in any kind of property or hostel. It all started with with me leaving the room for a few hours in the night and ended up with some random female sleeping on the bed. The bed was slept on me and I had my stuff like my laptop and charger and a bag, so there was no way anyone couldn’t have thought the bed was empty. In fact, my stuff was conveniently pushed to the side of the bed and the girl was casually sleeping on the same bed. Imagine having to sleep on a bed after the stranger sleeping on it (who obviously doesn’t care about anything) and dealing with all this 3 am. When I confronted her, the girl was actually telling me that they were overbooked and canceled her reservation and she had nowhere to go, which I honestly think has nothing to do with me. What did the hostel expect me to share my twin bed with a stranger? Unfortunately, my nightmare didn't end there. In the morning when I woke up to check out, I was by myself in a girl dormitory, the manager (male and I confirmed his position from one of the staff) barged into the room while was I changing and refused to leave. Mind you this was a few minutes before the official checkout time at 11 am. I was literally half-naked and asked the manager to leave the room multiple times by using words like, ‘please come back in two minutes’, ‘ I am in my bra’, and ‘I am changing, can you leave’. This guy didn't care what I wanted to stay, was staring right at me trying to ask me something about the shower which obviously could wait a minute until I put some clothes on or could have been easily asked through the door. I had to eventually bang the door on his face for him to leave me alone. I have never felt so unsafe and violated of my privacy on so many levels. Safe to say never coming here again and would want all the girls out there to be very careful. It’s not safe, there is obviously no security and the staff have no manners or decency to leave the room when asked to by a girl, in a girl dormitory knowing she is obviously very uncomfortable. Be careful out there. Rather live on the streets, I am sure at least you will expect this, don’t bother paying for this hostel.

Update on the response by the hostel If you have read the response by the hostel allow me to you tell that a female cleaning staff did arrive a few minutes before the manager (before the official checkout time) and since I was packing up she gave me a few minutes to vacate the room. The person at the reception confirmed the position of the man who entered my room as the hostel manager, not the housekeeping staff. And no the manager DID NOT KNOCK, DID NOT WAIT FOR ME TO RESPOND, DID NOT ASK BEFORE ENTERING and obviously DID NOT LEAVE WHEN ASKED TO MULTIPLE TIMES. Please note that I am not upset at a male employee entering a female dormitory (honestly that shouldn't be allowed either), I am upset about him not leaving even after telling him and after knowing I am changing and am very uncomfortable in a male presence due to my lack of clothing. I don't know why are they even talking about 12:30, because I was out of the property way before that. Take ownership of your actions and STOP LYING to make yourself look innocent. Also, he did not leave after communicating, HE DID NOT LEAVE. I had shut the door for him to stop looking at me and leave me alone. Amazing how they just trying not so smartly trying to make it look so casual and spreading misinformation. This has just made the situation even worse.

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The housekeeper didn’t clean for several days, so I requested a room change since I booked for several upcoming days. They wouldn’t let me change a room and (lied) told me it was fully booked even though the website and third party booking sites show many available rooms.

The next day, the staff retaliates against me for writing the above review. He comes to my room and tells me to leave since I made complaints about the lack of housekeeping services. It was so extremely rude. I was happy with the stay except for the lack of services and didn’t want to leave or cancel for the following week. I didn’t even mention the lack of housekeeping to anyone until several days passed, and the staff was essentially yelling at me that I was “taking advantage” of him. I really don’t have any other words for this treatment. I had to repeatedly tell him that I was happy with the stay except for the lack of housekeeping which was resolved when they cleaned today, since he was trying to make me leave because I made a single complaint. I want to clarify once again that I am very happy with the stay except for the lack of previous housekeeping services, and I will not be canceling the rest of my reservation. It is really an extreme overreaction from them to try to get me to leave, because I had only spoken to the staff one time about any issues and had only posted this review. It seems like they are being abused or threatened their employment behind the scenes, so that’s why they are so harsh towards a guest for complaining and writing a review.

Today, another aggressive male staff came in my room and argued with me for 15 minutes about having my own bags in my room. I have shared my room with 3 other girls and none of them have had any issue with my bags in the room (I asked them right when we met). It is empty space and there is enough room for walking inside. They are bullies looking for any reason to harass guests. The staff aren’t the ones using the room either, but only they have complained about the bags and none of the guests inside have. Please hire better!!

Please post luggage storage costs publicly. I was told that there is no charge originally when I asked yesterday, and today at checkout the manager told me there are extra charges out of nowhere. After asking him to waive it since I stayed for more than 20 nights and because I want to check in tomorrow for additional nights (he told me storage before check in is free), he started crying. He was confused himself and then changed the charges ($42 to $35) since they’re not written anywhere. These charges shouldn’t be a surprise to the guest and need to be posted in a policy publicly. I then asked for a receipt for these charges, and he handed me a receipt with a list of other charges I have never seen before. I couldn’t tell whether these charges are additional and he has just charged them now again when I swiped my card just now. I was told I would be charged $35 for luggage storage, and I was handed a bill for $109.15. This is the same person as the first incident. He is really rude and impatient and even told me to just leave with my belongings when I asked for a lower storage cost since I stayed for almost a month. I still don’t understand the bill and he won’t answer any questions about it (why it lists $35 twice for debit and credit - I should only be charged $35...

I will never be staying at this hostel again and don't advise anyone else to especially if this is your first time visiting New York, like mine. I wish I could put 0 zeros. They ruined my New York experience. I only stayed here because my sister convinced me and it was my first time ever staying in a hostel which I didn't care for once it was over. One of the worst parts was I paid with my debit card 10/15 when I checked in, but it wasn't taken out of my account until three days after I checked out. (I checked out 10/19, didn't show until 10/22) I thought that was odd, but I was like okay whatever. Fast forward to 10/29 I check my bank account that morning my account is wiped out and in the NEGATIVE. Im like what hell because I knew I had plenty of money. I check my activity, Local NYC had charged me AGAIN almost $300!! NINE days after I checked out and was back in Atlanta where I lived. I was so confused. I immediately called and the man who answered was not helpful at all. All he said was the finance department wouldn't be in for another 2 and a half hours and they will "keep in touch" Tf? I called around 7:30 am didn't get a call until after 3 pm from the same guy and he asked could I email them screenshots of my bank account because they didn't charge me -- luckily I did screenshot my account for this very purpose, and I informed him they definitely DID charge me I seen it with my own eyes. I quickly sent the email and about an hour later get a call from a woman who is "investigating" and ALSO Asks me to send the screenshots to her email. I informed her I was just asked to send them but I would happily do it again and she told me that's okay, she will just look at the front desk. A couple hours later I get an email asking me to send them to her email because she couldn't find it -_- so here I am sending yet another email. Like the what the heck, I'm not making this up. The next day, I get an email from her saying they checked their system and it doesn't show they charged me it may have something to do with my bank authorization and the charges will dissapear after a few days and contact my bank if I need the money immediately -__- I responded and said neither I or my bank would ever authorize a double charge 9 days after I checked out and that I have been with this bank for six years and this has never ever happened. Also that my bank disputed the charge and is doing a further investigation on the matter. So, I got my money back which was my main concern, but long story short I will NEVER EVER EVER stay at this hostel again just because of the B.S. Also, my younger sister who stayed with me also had to get a new credit card because The Local NYC tried charging her twice as well, but since she didn't have enough in her account, they just took all the money she had. And conveniently the people at the NYC also had no record of that either. I don't know whats going on and I just don't appreciate the way they handled the situation. You don't play with people's money like that. I send you a clear screenshot of the money you wrongfully took, and you don't take responsibility for it. I'm so done with them. Don't stay here unless you want something shady to happen to your money once you...