Home2 Suites by Hilton New York Long Island City/ Manhattan View

With green and maroon accents on its concrete facade, the Home2 Suites by Hilton New York Long Island City/Manhattan View sticks out among the drab buildings in the neighborhood. Inside, glossy floors and bright colors create an overall cheerful atmosphere in the breakfast room area and other spaces like the Media Room. All of the common areas are spacious and updated. The first-floor patio and 7th-floor patio with Midtown views, provide plenty of places for guests to relax and interact with each other. The Home2 Suites brand is targeted to extended-stay travelers, so travelers here are often families and business travelers who appreciate the studios and apartment-like rooms with kitchens. Expect long queues at the elevator and at reception, plus some chaos at breakfast every morning as this is a busy place. There have been some complaints of billing issues and a lack of service request completions from the front desk staff. 

Home2 Suites by Hilton New York Long Island City/Manhattan View is outside the main action of New York City, but it's less expensive and quieter than chain hotels in the city. Plus, it’s only a one-minute walk to the N/W 39th Avenue subway stop and two minutes to a bus stop, making it quite convenient to get to Manhattan in about 20 minutes. Take note that this isn’t a bustling area with much to do. There’s a decent selection of restaurants, delis, or grocery stores in the area, which take about 10 minutes or less to reach on foot. Shopping is quite limited nearby. It’s a 20-minute drive to LaGuardia Airport and 35 minutes by car to John F. Kennedy International Airport. 

This hotel features 115 one-bedroom apartments and studios with modern, cheerful decor in soft grays, whites, greens, and yellows. The wallpaper has circular shapes that complement yellow statement walls, tan carpet, and cozy beige couches. The hotel's Serta Suite Dreams beds receive wonderful reviews for their comfort. All rooms feature flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, and kitchens with full-sized refrigerators, microwaves, dishwashers, flatware, coffeemakers, sinks, and toasters. Stovetops are not built into the kitchen but induction burner cooktops can be checked out for free from the front desk. Bathrooms are clean and spacious, too. These have showers, free wall dispenser toiletries, and hairdryers. Long vanities provide ample space to unpack belongings. 

This Home2 Suites property has a nice balance of leisure and business features for extended stay travelers. The hotel’s highlight is the free breakfast in the morning that includes hot items like breakfast sandwiches and waffles, as well as the option to create breakfast bowls. Though it’s convenient and free, there are often long lines in the morning which may be bothersome for some. The hotel lacks a restaurant, but there’s free coffee and tea available all day, and the on-site convenience store offers drinks, snacks, and grocery delivery services for a fee. Guests use the coin-operated laundry room or workout in the modern fitness area which occupies the same room. There are cardio machines and free weights to use. There are plenty of places for guests to lounge beyond their rooms, like the Media Room which has flat-screen TVs, gaming consoles, and children’s games. There’s also a 7th floor patio with seating and views of Midtown. The hotel has a fully-equipped meeting room for business travelers to use with other business-friendly amenities like free Wi-Fi and wireless printing, public desktops in the breakfast room, and outlets on tables to keep devices charged. Pets are welcome for a fee, and there’s a small enclosed doggy area for pets to do their doggy business on-site. Parking is available, but it’s limited and often full.