St. Marks HotelEditor's Pick

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The best thing about the simple, one-star St. Marks Hotel is likely the location, next to countless gritty Lower Manhattan attractions. Here unfussy travelers will find clean, if basic, accommodations in a historic setting and at reasonable rates.

Many of St. Mark’s Hotel's 70 rooms are quite small, although they are by no means tiny for Manhattan. We liked their simplicity. Wooden bed frames and wardrobes are done in dark chocolate, walls are muted beige and flat-panel televisions are wall-mounted. All rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with telephones and DVD players.

These rooms have an almost monastery-like simplicity to them. While they may not have an enormous amount of character, there’s none of the overwhelming drudgery of the average US “identikit” hotel here. In fact, there are actually some cute details in the mix. Among our favorite design features are the checkered tiles in the en suite bathrooms.

Outside the East Village doors of the St. Marks Hotel lies the pandemonium of St. Mark's Place, the epicenter of New York's alternakid scene in all of its pierced, tattooed and grungy glory. Yet inside the hotel, an almost sedate atmosphere predominates.

The neighborhood is home to a plethora of tiny, delicious food joints, including one of our favorite little Japanese holes-in-the-wall, tiny Otofuku, which serves up delicious okonomiyaki (savory pancakes).

Wi-Fi is available for a fee. Note that the hotel does not have an elevator.

» Alex Robertson Textor

Note: This hotel was visited by a EuroCheapo editor and is recommended based on cleanliness, location, price and overall quality. EuroCheapo did not charge this hotel to be listed.