Murray Hill East Suites

There's nothing hip or cool about Murray Hill East Suites, but that's not what budget-minded families and long-term guests, some who sign up to stay for 30 days or longer, are looking for when they check-in at this all-suite hotel. They come for the clean and efficient apartment-sized suites, choosing size over style, and function over fashion. The suites outsize most standard New York City hotel rooms and provide guests with the option of cooking in rather than spending money on dining out for every meal.

The residential vibe begins at the entry. The 15-story brick building looks like a typical apartment building, complete with an awning and flower boxes. Inside, the front desk buzzes with the activity of guests checking in and out, waiting on the circular banquette or rolling luggage along the marble floors. A separate living room-like area of the lobby is more inviting to resident guests looking to settle into the velvet chairs and sofa to use the free Wi-Fi. Thick scalloped drapes grace the windows facing the street, mirrored columns serve as room dividers, and large contemporary crystal chandeliers shine down upon the printed carpet, evoking an atmosphere that is conservative and retro. 

Ironically, Murray Hill East with its enormous suites (by New York standards) is located next door to the Pod Hotel, known for its pint-sized rooms. Along the somewhat busy stretch of 39th Street is a variety of businesses including a popular taco place, a shoe repair shop, a bakery specializing in wedding cakes, and a deli. The residential Murray Hill and the adjacent Turtle Bay neighborhoods are ripe with quaint local restaurants, cafes, and many Irish pubs. To the east is the United Nations and its surrounding consulates. To the west is Grand Central, where visitors can hop the Shuttle to Times Square or ride the subway to other areas of the city. The hotel is also close to the Midtown Tunnel, the escape route to JFK and LaGuardia airports.

• 30-minute drive to JFK International Airport
• 20-minute drive to LaGuardia International Airport
• 6-minute walk to Grand Central Terminal
• 13-minute walk to the Empire State Building
• 9-minute cab ride or 15-minute subway ride to Penn Station
• 10-minute cab ride or 16-minute subway ride to Columbus Circle
• 15-minute cab ride or 23-minute subway ride to downtown/Soho

Murray Hill East Suites promises its guests a chance to experience New York like a real New Yorker. Budget-minded families and extended stay guests are attracted to the property for its apartment-like suites, which range in size from 375-square-foot studios (larger than many average New York Hotel rooms) to 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom apartments. While the suites come equipped with spacious living areas, small dining areas, and kitchens stocked with the proper appliances and utensils needed to make everything from a simple bowl of cereal to a complicated Bundt cake, they are void of modern style. 

Each suite follows a specific monochromatic color scheme of dark blue, green, or maroon with furnishings --- lamps, carpeting, bedding, wallpaper, tablecloths, and window treatments -- following suit. The traditional style furniture, although heavy and dark, offers room to work, lounge, and dine. While the rooms are tidy and well-organized, there are signs of wear and tear, most notably in the kitchens where floral wallpaper, dated cabinetry, and almond-colored appliances scream 1980s. Flat-screen TVs mounted on the walls and propped atop square TV stands are modern but clock radios lack iPhone connections and Wi-Fi is accessed for a fee.

Bathrooms are on the small side and basic, finished with white tiles and the necessary towels and generic bath products. Some of the rooms on the ground floor feature huge outdoor terraces, but they are dreary and without proper furnishings, just a couple of rusty lawn chairs.

The hotel's most prominent feature lies within the sheer size of the spacious suites. In addition, the property offers a small gym, a business center, and laundry facilities.