Gershwin Hotel

Located just a five-minute walk from the Empire State Building, the two-star Gershwin Hotel is a well-executed hotel thriving on the crazy energy of 1970s New York.

The concept here is budget boutique, and it is applied at just about every level, from spacious small suites to hostel-style dorm beds. Though the former are a relatively decent value, the real bargains are the standard double rooms and dorm beds.

Quick read...

Pros: Good value. Funky style in lobby and rooms. Central location near Empire State Building.

Cons: Room décor unpredictable. Only one elevator.

Rooms

Of the 150 rooms offered at the Gershwin, our favorites look more like apartments than hotel rooms, with hardwood floors and quirky art pieces on walls. The individual bird lamps in one suite were a real stand-out, as was the outline of a woman's face drawn across two walls in a standard double.

Rooms tend toward the bright, with often loud colors and bright prints and other pieces of art throughout. Furniture is remarkably plain in comparison, and consists largely of IKEA-ish pieces. Dorm rooms are relatively amenity-free; private rooms are equipped with telephones and cable television.

Style

The aesthetic is devoted to the New York of dynamic local art and nightlife scenes. Vintage magazine covers and various art works blanket hallways.

The Gershwin has its very own "Vibe Consultant," an artist named Neke Carson who is associated with Andy Warhol's Factory. The vibe Carson curates at the Gershwin is seriously artistic but accessible. There is a gallery in the lobby.

Hotel

The Birch Café on the premises is a great place to hang out. It's got a strong organic impulse, with repurposed furniture and Rainforest Alliance Coffee on the menu.

Wireless Internet access is free in the lobby and available for a small charge in rooms. There's also a mezzanine-level library.

Location

The Gershwin is conveniently located on 27th Street, just east of 5th Avenue. This places it a bit north of the Flatiron district and just south of Koreatown and midtown. This location will prove to be convenient—as it places you within walking distance of Midtown's sights, and downtown's restaurants, cafes and nightlife.

Guest reviews in brief

Most guests raved about the artwork in the common spaces and in some rooms, and the hotel's overall "funky style." Across the board, guests love the location, convenient for day and night activities, and found that the hotel presents a real value. Many also complimented the friendliness of the staff.

Some guests complained about the small rooms (common in NYC), and one mentioned that their room was comparitively plain. Most of the complaints, however, were targeted at the hotel's single, small elevator, which serves 13 floors. The breakfast voucher system, as well, wasn't a hit with everyone.

* These reviews of the Gershwin Hotel were provided by verified guests who booked through EuroCheapo's reservation partners. Click on the links below to read reviews in detail.

Transportation

Subways: The Gershwin Hotel is conveniently located within a 5-minute walk of four different subway stations. The nearest stop is the N/R station at 28th Street and Broadway (although many more lines are available nearby).

JFK: To get to the hotel from JFK, take the Air Train to the Howard Beach Station, then the A train toward Manhattan to West 4th Street. Transfer to the Uptown F train to 23rd Street. Walk from here to the hotel (about 5 minutes).

LaGuardia: From LaGuardia, we'd recommend either taking a New York Airport Service bus to Grand Central Station (and then the Downtown 6 train to 28th street, then walk to the hotel). Or, simply take a taxi to the hotel.

Newark: From Newark, take the Air Train to the NJ Transit station, and then any NJ Transit train into Pennsylvania Station. From there, walk to the hotel (about 10 minutes).

Read more about transportation into New York.