Blue Moon Hotel

The Blue Moon Hotel is housed in a building that was once a historic Lower East Side tenement built in 1879, now restored to give guests the atmosphere of that bygone New York era. Guests enter through the ground floor cafe, and once inside, the red banquettes with fringed pillows and tables with vases full of flowers create a cozy bed-and-breakfast vibe. The hotel goes to some length to imbue the public areas with a throwback look that includes framed 19th-century relics and pressed tin walls in the elevator. Overall, there is a real bed & breakfast vibe here, which isn’t found in the many chain or luxury hotels spread around the city. Beyond the initial charms, though, there are some quirks like rickety furniture and some obvious wear and tear. The hotel draws all kinds of visitors including singles looking for a cheap dorm bed, couples, even families with multiple children thanks to the generous size of the rooms. The Blue Moon is especially popular with guests who are interested in the neighborhood's Jewish history and who'd rather see where young New Yorkers hang out, shop, eat, and drink than be in the tourist fray of midtown. 

The Lower East Side is known to both visitors and locals as one of the city’s hippest neighborhoods, home to cool indie bars, restaurants, music venues, and boutiques. The Blue Moon Hotel sits right in the heart of it, across the street from the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, which is a great place to learn about the area’s history as home to working class immigrants beginning in the 19th century. The LES retains a gritty, authentic feel even as it continues to draw more tourists. Guests at the Blue Moon are within walking distance to some of downtown’s most famous hotspots like Katz’s Delicatessen, the New Museum, Bowery Ballroom, and shopping on Broadway in SoHo. Broadway theaters, which are near Times Square, are about 25 minutes away on the subway. A 40-minute subway ride reaches the Upper East Side and its famous museums like The Met and The Guggenheim. Several subway stops are within a 10-minute walk, and plenty of bus lines also stop in the area. Taxis abound in this neighborhood as well. The trip to either JFK International Airport or Laguardia Airport can take between 30 to 60 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The former can be reached in about an hour by subway and AirTrain, while the latter involves using the subway and bus. 

The Blue Moon’s rooms are all named after New York musicians from the 1920s and 1930s, and each has its own slightly different decor, layout, and feel. Furnishings give a nod to the building’s historical theme, not just in look but also in wear, and in some cases the decor is drab and visibly worn. The quality is still decent, with pillow-top mattresses and high thread count sheets. In terms of size, rooms range from 320 to 750 square feet (30 to 70 square meters), and options include double rooms to multi-bed rooms that accommodate families with children. There are also both all-female and mixed dorm rooms with up to six beds (sometimes bunk beds) in one room, which makes a great option for budget travelers. Keep in mind that they can feel cramped. Amenities available in all rooms include a flat-screen TV, air-conditioning, microwave, minibar, iPod dock, iron and ironing board, desk, and free Wi-Fi. Some rooms have lovely balconies and gorgeous views looking toward the uptown skyline, while others face a street. A busy nightclub, and late night revelers, can be loud on some lower-floor rooms. Bathrooms are white-tiled and plain, but clean, with toiletries provided. Dorms each have their own en-suite bathroom for guests to share. One complaint is that in the winter the thermostats are untouchable and blast heat to an uncomfortable degree. 

There aren’t many features at the Blue Moon, which isn’t unusual for a hotel at this level in New York City, where space for a pool, fitness center or spa is hard to come by (and therefore significantly increases rates). The hotel has a lovely cafe on the ground floor, selling coffee, juice, bottled water, pastries, and other snacks. Breakfast is included in room rates and features a basic spread of bagels and fruit, but make sure to arrive early, food sometimes runs out. An elevator services the different floors of the hotel, making it accessible for those who are less mobile, although there are reports of it being unpredictable and sometimes out of service altogether. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.