Travel Inn Hotel New York

Stuffed leather couches and dark wood paneling in the lobby are just some of the details that make the hotel look dated. The hotel's common areas have seen better days, and the rooms are also worn. Some of the rooms overlook busy street traffic, while the inner rooms open onto the outdoor courtyard for a motel-like feel.

The Travel Inn is located on a busy but bland stretch of 42nd Street on Manhattan's West Side. The hotel is three long avenue blocks from Times Square -- far away enough to avoid insane crowds, but within walking distance of more than 10 major subway lines -- and several blocks south of the heart of Hell's Kitchen, a lively neighborhood with restaurants and bars. Hudson River Park is also close by, and offers sightseeing cruises and seasonal activities like bike rentals.- 8-minute walk to Port Authority Bus Terminal

• 11-minute walk to Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
• 13-minute walk to Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
• 16-minute walk to the Theater District
• 20-minute walk to Penn Station and Madison Square Garden

The majority of rooms at the Travel Inn feature basic furniture and bland decor. The flat-screen TVs are a notable bonus. Rooms facing the central courtyard and on the upper floors are less susceptible to noise from the street and the subway running underground. Avoid the North Tower, which requires guests to walk through a parking garage to get to the elevator. The hotel is in the middle of a renovation, and several rooms have been upgraded to a brighter, more modern look. New furniture, impressive bathrooms, and better amenities (including iPod docking stations, microwaves, and mini-fridges) make these rooms more desirable. All rooms feature Ecossential toiletries, hairdryers, and ironing facilities. 

The Travel Inn doesn't have a ton of amenities, but that helps keep rates low for travelers mostly interested in a good-value (and well-located) place to crash. A large supervised pool in the hotel's open-air courtyard is open seasonally and is a rare find for the price. The hotel does have a business and a fitness center, but they're small and sad-looking with few machines and computer stations respectively. There is no on-site restaurant or bar, though there is a diner next door. A parking garage next door charges a moderate daily fee.