Cons
- Wi-Fi fee
- No fitness center
- Must request daily housekeeping
- No business center
- No restaurant or bar
- Old, tube TVs
Bottom Line
This hotel's 41 rooms are a tight squeeze; standard rooms can barely fit their full-size mattress. Features are scarce; no gym, business center, or restaurant, and Wi-Fi costs a daily fee. But for a fairly clean, somewhat comfortable hotel that's steps from the subway and the young bar scene in the East Village, the price is right.
Amenities
- Internet
Location
Among the hip, NYU student-scene in the East Village, just over one long block from the arts, skateboarding, protests, and farmers' market in Union Square
The Union Square Inn is situated on East 14th Street, a busy, commercial block of Manhattan. The diverse Union Square area to the west -- after which the hotel takes its name -- unites social activists, skaters, shoppers, and street vendors. It may not be quiet, but 14th Street is dotted with bars, restaurants, and shops in both directions, and from the subway station at Union Square, you have access to anywhere in Manhattan. Plus, being on the L subway line (just outside the hotel's doors) means easy access to the clubs in the Meatpacking District (to the west) and the fashionable arts, music, restaurant, and bar scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (to the east).
The East Village was for decades a sketchy neighborhood that tended to attract struggling artists, writers, and musicians -- a long-term artistic influx that fed the 1960s hippie culture and fostered the birth of punk rock in the 1970s. More recently, like much of Manhattan, the area has undergone a fair amount of gentrification, but still retains many elements of its gritty character and countercultural spirit, partly due to the constant influx of students from nearby New York University. Tompkins Square Park is at the neighborhood's center, a gathering place for green-market shoppers, street performers, and people just hanging out. Surrounding the park are restaurants, vintage shops, cool bars, trendy nightclubs, and "alternative" businesses offering everything from vegan food to drug paraphernalia.
- Steps from the L train; one block from the 4, 5, and 6 subway lines; two blocks from the N, Q, R, and W lines; five blocks from the F, L, and V lines -- easy access to just about anywhere in the city
- 20-minute subway ride to Central Park
- 15-minute subway ride to Times Square
- 15-minute subway ride to the Empire State Building and to Rockefeller Center
- 20-minute subway ride to the ferry terminal to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
- 25-minute subway ride to the American Museum of Natural History
- 25-minute subway ride to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the "Met") and a 20-minute subway ride to the Museum of Modern Art (the "MoMA")
Rooms
Dated TVs, faux hardwood floors, cheap beds, and especially cramped spaces -- nothing fancy, but clean enough
- Starting at a very cramped 150 square feet -- smaller than the average hotel room in New York -- the standard rooms have just enough space for a full-size bed
- Superior and Deluxe Rooms offer the same amenities but a slightly larger space at 200 square feet (about the average size for a New York hotel room) with either a queen-size bed or two twin beds
- Wi-Fi for a fee
- Small, old, tube TV
- No coffeemaker
- No desk or workspace
Airport Transportation
About 30 to 90 minutes from three airports
New York has three nearby airports: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark (in New Jersey). Getting to town from JFK or LaGuardia is usually more convenient than getting there from Newark, but travel times are heavily dependent on the time of day and traffic conditions. From JFK, a taxi to anywhere in Manhattan costs a flat rate of $45 and takes around an hour in average conditions. From LaGuardia, a metered cab ride to midtown Manhattan costs about $40 and can take 30 minutes if traffic is light, three times that if it's bad. Rides from Newark cost at least $40 (plus tolls) and can take more than 90 minutes. It's customary to tip your driver 15 to 25 percent.
Those looking to save some cash can use the privately run shuttle buses that are available at all three airports for about $14 per person. For more information on the shuttles, go to Super Shuttle or New York Airport Service. Public transit is also available for as little as $7 per person, but travel can take up to two hours and involve a lot of lugging bags up and down stairways.
For mass-transit directions right to the hotel, check out HopStop.com.
This Hotel Also Featured In
The 5 Best Workout Spots for Celebrity Sightings
Some people are so focused during their workout that they hardly notice where they are, let alone which famous faces may be passing by them. And we applaud those people who dedicate the utmost concentration to their fitness regimen. But some of us may have a wandering eye while working on our fitness (hey, it…
Wine on a dime at Brooklyn Winery
It was only a matter of time before Brooklyn, the DIY capital of the country right now, got its own winery. You would never guess that behind the Brooklyn Winery’s dimly lit, spacious wine bar is a massive wine making operation complete with barrels stacked high in the back room. While their community wine-making packages…
The best milkshakes in New York City
Take a few scoops of ice cream, add in some milk, maybe some syrup, and blend… the recipe for a milkshake couldn’t be any simpler. So why do so few places get them right? We don’t know exactly, but in the meantime, the places listed below know their way around a blender. They produce thick,…
A Big Apple education: Where to stay when it's time to say 'goodbye' and move the kids into their NYC dorms
The Empire Hotel is located on the Upper West Side, a convenient location if you’re heading to the Juilliard School.
New York's best barbecue
[Flickr/minna883] Texas, Carolina and Kansas City may more often come to mind when you think of genuine Barbecue, but New York chefs have been getting especially creative behind their smokers as of late, and the City is suddenly awash in BBQ joints that rival the best. Here are four must-stops for any NY-bound BBQ fan:…
Things You Should Know About Union Square Inn
Also Known As
- Hotel Union Square
- Union Square Hotel
Room Types
- Private Double Room
- Private Queen Room
- Private Single Room
- Private Twin with Pullout Room
- Superior Room
Address
209 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003
Phone
(212) 614-0500
Website
Location
Among the hip, NYU student-scene in the East Village, just over one long block from the arts, skateboarding, protests, and farmers' market in Union Square
The Union Square Inn is situated on East 14th Street, a busy, commercial block of Manhattan. The diverse Union Square area to the west -- after which the hotel takes its name -- unites social activists, skaters, shoppers, and street vendors. It may not be quiet, but 14th Street is dotted with bars, restaurants, and shops in both directions, and from the subway station at Union Square, you have access to anywhere in Manhattan. Plus, being on the L subway line (just outside the hotel's doors) means easy access to the clubs in the Meatpacking District (to the west) and the fashionable arts, music, restaurant, and bar scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (to the east).
The East Village was for decades a sketchy neighborhood that tended to attract struggling artists, writers, and musicians -- a long-term artistic influx that fed the 1960s hippie culture and fostered the birth of punk rock in the 1970s. More recently, like much of Manhattan, the area has undergone a fair amount of gentrification, but still retains many elements of its gritty character and countercultural spirit, partly due to the constant influx of students from nearby New York University. Tompkins Square Park is at the neighborhood's center, a gathering place for green-market shoppers, street performers, and people just hanging out. Surrounding the park are restaurants, vintage shops, cool bars, trendy nightclubs, and "alternative" businesses offering everything from vegan food to drug paraphernalia.
- Steps from the L train; one block from the 4, 5, and 6 subway lines; two blocks from the N, Q, R, and W lines; five blocks from the F, L, and V lines -- easy access to just about anywhere in the city
- 20-minute subway ride to Central Park
- 15-minute subway ride to Times Square
- 15-minute subway ride to the Empire State Building and to Rockefeller Center
- 20-minute subway ride to the ferry terminal to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
- 25-minute subway ride to the American Museum of Natural History
- 25-minute subway ride to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the "Met") and a 20-minute subway ride to the Museum of Modern Art (the "MoMA")
Rooms
Dated TVs, faux hardwood floors, cheap beds, and especially cramped spaces -- nothing fancy, but clean enough
- Starting at a very cramped 150 square feet -- smaller than the average hotel room in New York -- the standard rooms have just enough space for a full-size bed
- Superior and Deluxe Rooms offer the same amenities but a slightly larger space at 200 square feet (about the average size for a New York hotel room) with either a queen-size bed or two twin beds
- Wi-Fi for a fee
- Small, old, tube TV
- No coffeemaker
- No desk or workspace
Airport Transportation
About 30 to 90 minutes from three airports
New York has three nearby airports: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark (in New Jersey). Getting to town from JFK or LaGuardia is usually more convenient than getting there from Newark, but travel times are heavily dependent on the time of day and traffic conditions. From JFK, a taxi to anywhere in Manhattan costs a flat rate of $45 and takes around an hour in average conditions. From LaGuardia, a metered cab ride to midtown Manhattan costs about $40 and can take 30 minutes if traffic is light, three times that if it's bad. Rides from Newark cost at least $40 (plus tolls) and can take more than 90 minutes. It's customary to tip your driver 15 to 25 percent.
Those looking to save some cash can use the privately run shuttle buses that are available at all three airports for about $14 per person. For more information on the shuttles, go to Super Shuttle or New York Airport Service. Public transit is also available for as little as $7 per person, but travel can take up to two hours and involve a lot of lugging bags up and down stairways.
For mass-transit directions right to the hotel, check out HopStop.com.
Amenities
-
Air Conditioner
-
Basic Television
-
Business Center
-
Cable
-
Free Breakfast
-
Internet
-
Kids Allowed
-
Poolside Drink Service
-
Swim-Up Bar
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.