Standard Room, Shared Bathroom
from $106
Pod 51
3.0 out of 5.0
3.8
out of 5
Average Guest Review
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Recent guest reviews
My 6-year-old daughter and I stayed at Pod 51 for 5 nights. The location is great--close to the subway and Grand Central, but not in the crazy of Times Square. The hotel itself is quiet and restful, too. We stayed in one of the pods with 2 bunk beds. The rooms are small, but they are well designed for comfort and convenience. Our room was cleaned every day -- our beds were made up and fresh towels provided. The shared bathrooms were never a problem as they were kept very clean and we seemed to have plenty of access (4 on our floor). We also had a sink and mirror in our room which helped with bedtime and getting ready in the morning.
Original room had water on the carpet and made the room smell but they quickly changed me to another room without any problems.
As a tourist the room met all my needs. I didn't need any more but to rest and cool off a bit. The desk staff was friendly and efficient. I was quite comfy.
It's close enough to everything you want to see and it's very clean and well kept. In my case, I had a bed and a sink to myself and down the hall were private showers and toilets. It's prefect if you know you won't spend much time on your room.
My friend & I stayed for four nights, the hotel is in a great location, within walking distance to Rockefeller Center & Times Square. Close to transit (subway & bus), the rooms are cute pods, ours had the twin bunk bed & though the beds weren't very comfy they were fine. The rooftop is cool make sure you check it out. Overall we had a great experience here & would stay again.
Decided to try something different in midtown. Check-in was easy. People were very nice. Quick trip up the elevator. Since rooms are small, hallways look almost like a line of phone booths. Room was efficiently laid out - tight but everything you needed was there. You need to be organized and use the space efficiently as a result, however. Good shower, lots of hot water. Bed mostly comfortable. Small TV but fine for my purposes. Quite cost-effective for mid-town. Be prepared to walk. While this hotel is on 51st St, it is pretty far over on the east side, almost to 2d Avenue, so if you need to go over to Broadway or 6th Avenue, it is a hike. It is also a hike from Penn Station, not so much from Grand Central. I only had two complaints. First, the security seemed lax. It seemed that anyone could come in the front door and go right up on the elevator to any floor. For a hotel like this, that could be troublesome, and could be easily fixed by having someone attentive right at the elevator to deter outsiders. Second, the sink was aligned on a wall in the main room, but was not very deep front to back, and as a result, water kept splashing on the floor, which was carpeted. That was distasteful when you think about the number of times that must occur, day after day. If you want to spend $50 more a night, you can move up into the hotels with regular size rooms, but this is a pretty decent alternative for those on a budget who don't need to spread out.
Great hotel and it's location is awesome close to everything and subway.
I picked this hotel because it was cheap and in a good part of Manhattan. My expectations weren't super high, but they surprised me. The lobby was clean and while the hallways were quite dark, the room was bright. It was small, but I had enough room to move around an I comfortably could have shared with another person. I did have a room with a private bath and that was much appreciated. The bathroom was clean and a decent size. Overall, I enjoyed my stay and I would stay again.
experience was fine. no complaints though the room was smaller than I thought. It would have been ok for one person, not 2.
It was clean, perfect the only thing is it was cold in our room and the control for the heat didn't work but everything else wete excellent.
During busy waking hours there may be a wait for the "water closet" but no problems at off hours
The shower knob almost fell out of wall socket as I turned the water on. It was surprisingly small - found the halls a bit too dark so I was actually afraid. Had a one day conference in NY and did not realize that members could have stayed free at the meeting hotel. I had already booked Pod51 and when i learned about free stay - i tried to get refund from Pod51 and was unable to.
Very clean. The staff was friendly. We had some problems wiht the heather. The bathroom is so small that your feet have to stay out when you sit on the WC.
Check-in was ok, but I didn't like having to hand over my credit card (of which they took a mechanical imprint, like in the 1990s) for a pre-paid room. The room was ok at first glance, but the bathroom very cramped. Worst aspect: poorly heated with no thermostat or other means of increasing the temp. When I called the front desk, shivering at 1:30am, the person said, flatly, "we have an extra blanket down here." At 1:30am?? I just took a hot shower and put on three layers of cloting and wool socks and got back into bed
Great micro room for a day and night out! Great use of a small space!
I was happy to get a hotel at this location for the price I paid, however you get what you pay for. The room was clean but to compact to be comfortable in. A small concession opened in the lobby the day before I left so I wasn't able to take advantage of it. This seemed to be a good idea, without it the hotel didn't offer anything besides its location. I've never stayed at a hostel but I imagine it to be like this.
Room was good, comfortable, clean and what I expected for the low price however the main issue I did not give a good review on the Hotel Facilities rating is because of the noise level from other guests either being in the adjacent hallways or opening and closing room doors. Not very good sound proofing on the doors or attenuation in the hallways to buffer the noise. I had a hard time sleeping due to noise but the room and bed were very comfortable.
The hotel is really well located, but in my room I could not control the room temperature, so it was too cold at the beggining and to hot after they came to check it out, with no possibility of something in between. The staff of the hotel were friendly and helpful. Many restaurants around.
Had a great stay. The room was super comfortable and clean. The staff was very friendly. Getting in and out of the building was simple. The location is great. Only two problems for me: 1) I like to to drive in NY and there is no daytime parking on this street or anywhere in the vicinity. Expensive parking garages are nearby as well as the Lexington Line. 2) The pillows were a bit too firm. Take your own if you prefer softer.
This hotel was within walking distance of everything I needed (including my meetings) for my short stay without being extremely expensive. The room was small, but had all the amenities needed, double bed, bathroom, desk, tv, etc. Check in and check out was easy with a bag valet and a taxi set up to take me back to the airport at a flat rate. The only issue I ran into was with temperature control. There was no way to control the temperature in the room and it was very hot, unfortunately, there was ongoing construction happening outside my window, so I was unable to open the window to get any fresh air and there were not portable fans at the front desk; however, it does look like they provide AC units in the summer (I was there in December).
Hotel highlights
- Walking distance to Chrysler Building and Bloomingdale's
- Free WiFi and wired Internet in rooms and public areas
- Onsite dining
- Rooftop terrace
Pod 51 places you in Central New York City, within a leisurely stroll of popular sights such as Chrysler Building and Bloomingdale's. This 348-room, 3-star hotel has a restaurant, free in-room WiFi, and a rooftop terrace. It's in central New York and also a short walk from Rockefeller Center and Grand Central Terminal.
Dining
You can enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge or visit the onsite restaurant for a bite to eat. Get a pick-me-up at the coffee shop/café. Start your day off with breakfast, available for a fee.
Rooms
Pod 51's 348 air-conditioned rooms provide safes, phones, and desks. 27-inch LCD TVs come with digital channels, and guests can stay connected with free WiFi and wired Internet. Bathrooms offer hair dryers and free toiletries, and beds are dressed in premium bedding.
Property features
Guests of Pod 51 enjoy a rooftop terrace, free WiFi in public areas, and conference space. Self parking is available for USD 35 per night. Multilingual staff at the 24-hour front desk can assist with dry cleaning/laundry, concierge services, and luggage storage. Additional amenities include free newspapers, a garden, and a porter/bellhop.
Guest reviews for Pod 51
perfect hybrid of hostel and hotel
Families
My 6-year-old daughter and I stayed at Pod 51 for 5 nights. The location is great--close to the subway and Grand Central, but not in the crazy of Times Square. The hotel itself is quiet and restful, too. We stayed in one of the pods with 2 bunk beds. The rooms are small, but they are well designed for comfort and convenience. Our room was cleaned every day -- our beds were made up and fresh towels provided. The shared bathrooms were never a problem as they were kept very clean and we seemed to have plenty of access (4 on our floor). We also had a sink and mirror in our room which helped with bedtime and getting ready in the morning.
nice hotel, close to times square
Everyone
Original room had water on the carpet and made the room smell but they quickly changed me to another room without any problems.
good place for a weary traveler to rest. comfy bed
Everyone
As a tourist the room met all my needs. I didn't need any more but to rest and cool off a bit. The desk staff was friendly and efficient. I was quite comfy.
efficiency
Everyone
It's close enough to everything you want to see and it's very clean and well kept. In my case, I had a bed and a sink to myself and down the hall were private showers and toilets. It's prefect if you know you won't spend much time on your room.
nice functional hotel, great location
Everyone
My friend & I stayed for four nights, the hotel is in a great location, within walking distance to Rockefeller Center & Times Square. Close to transit (subway & bus), the rooms are cute pods, ours had the twin bunk bed & though the beds weren't very comfy they were fine. The rooftop is cool make sure you check it out. Overall we had a great experience here & would stay again.
cost-effective nyc
Everyone
Decided to try something different in midtown. Check-in was easy. People were very nice. Quick trip up the elevator. Since rooms are small, hallways look almost like a line of phone booths. Room was efficiently laid out - tight but everything you needed was there. You need to be organized and use the space efficiently as a result, however. Good shower, lots of hot water. Bed mostly comfortable. Small TV but fine for my purposes. Quite cost-effective for mid-town. Be prepared to walk. While this hotel is on 51st St, it is pretty far over on the east side, almost to 2d Avenue, so if you need to go over to Broadway or 6th Avenue, it is a hike. It is also a hike from Penn Station, not so much from Grand Central. I only had two complaints. First, the security seemed lax. It seemed that anyone could come in the front door and go right up on the elevator to any floor. For a hotel like this, that could be troublesome, and could be easily fixed by having someone attentive right at the elevator to deter outsiders. Second, the sink was aligned on a wall in the main room, but was not very deep front to back, and as a result, water kept splashing on the floor, which was carpeted. That was distasteful when you think about the number of times that must occur, day after day. If you want to spend $50 more a night, you can move up into the hotels with regular size rooms, but this is a pretty decent alternative for those on a budget who don't need to spread out.
central location. great hotel
Everyone
Great hotel and it's location is awesome close to everything and subway.
nice hotel close to shopping
Everyone
I picked this hotel because it was cheap and in a good part of Manhattan. My expectations weren't super high, but they surprised me. The lobby was clean and while the hallways were quite dark, the room was bright. It was small, but I had enough room to move around an I comfortably could have shared with another person. I did have a room with a private bath and that was much appreciated. The bathroom was clean and a decent size. Overall, I enjoyed my stay and I would stay again.
convenient t times square/broadway shows
Everyone
experience was fine. no complaints though the room was smaller than I thought. It would have been ok for one person, not 2.
perfect exactly what i needed
Everyone
It was clean, perfect the only thing is it was cold in our room and the control for the heat didn't work but everything else wete excellent.
