Before I proceed on, I must share that I checked out of CIH and moved into Sleep Inn Jamaica (SIJ) for my last night in New York (NY). It was not an easy move but I just could not stay there anymore. Even if I had to lug my suitcase and 2 bags of 20+kgs down the VERY narrow stairways of CIH, walked 3 streets and down another flight of stairs to get to the subway, I was glad to make the move.
As I have mentioned before in my Hualien11 blog post, there are three main factors that I gauge a hostel by: location, facilities and price. So, was it really all that bad staying at CIH? Well, CIH is located within Manhattan, along 20th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenue. It is located near 3 metro stations (18th and 23th Street on 7th Avenue and 24th Street on 8th Avenue) and served by many subway lines. Hence, a very accessible place. Exploring Manhattan using CIH as the base was much quicker/convenient than SIJ (which require a hotel shuttle bus service after exiting Queens subway station). So, no complaints in terms of location.
Facilities wise, there is free Wifi but only if you are in/near common area, lobby and courtyard. Luckily for me, my room was on top of the dining area. So, I was able to access it in the comfort of my room (though the signal was pretty weak and unstable). So, free Wifi satisfied.
There is a kitchen if you want to whip up a meal for yourself. I did not use it as it seemed to be always occupied by someone. Not to mention that I am pretty much a clean freak (OCD), so I do not feel comfortable using their pots and pans. Mainly, it was because I was out most of the time.
Breakfast provided was pretty decent though the spread they offer do not change much from day to day. Typically, you will find cereals, bagels with the usual jams and butter. Drink wise, there are coffee, tea, milk, and maybe fruit juice. I normally just grab the portions I want and bring it up to my room as the dining area was pretty crowded with people who were either there for the food or for the electric points and free Wifi. Sometimes, I take a bit more and bring it out for my lunch.
Price wise, it cost much more than any hostels which I have stayed in. Perhaps, I was just paying for the convenience of being within Manhattan because it was only slightly cheaper than SIJ! Why the exclamation mark? Well, SIJ was so much larger than CIH in terms of room size. SIJ could fit a Queen size bed with quilt, a wardrobe, a proper desk, bath tub, etc.! The heater worked wonderfully and the breakfast provided looked more appetising.
But CIH? The private room I booked had a single bed, a metal lock, a basin, some open shelves, some hooks to hang your clothes, a heater that only worked below certain temperature. Blanket was provided, but I felt too cold on my 1st night there before the heater even started. For subsequent nights, I wore my jacket to sleep. Yet for all that shortfall, CIH was only SLIGHTLY cheaper.
Where is the bathroom (you might wonder)? It is not within the room. As far as I know, I don't think they have ensuite private room. The bathroom and toilet ARE located outside the room for all to share. Yes, the bathroom and toilet (bowl) ARE in separate rooms. They are connected by the same wall which separates them into two rooms.
The size of the bathroom is SO small, I can't even spread out my arms fully. Mind you, I am very petite. It does its job but I felt like a prisoner in it. It was so unappealing that I did not even take a photo of it. The toilet fits, well, just the toilet bowl in it. That's all. Nothing fancy.
By the way, when I was staying at CIH, my supervisor was in NY with his wife on a vacation too (after our business trip). He kept in touch with me throughout my stay as he was worried for my safety. I am not sure if it was because CIH is located opposite to some sort of police station (I saw a lot of police car parked opposite it), I actually felt quite safe being in NY. So much so that I even walked back to CIH after midnight. So, I guess there is still some good staying there.
Thinking back about my experience staying at both CIH and SIJ, I am not going to save on lodging if I revisit NY again. I don't mind staying at SIJ again especially if I plan to explore outside Manhattan since I had a good experience there. But if I plan on further exploring Manhattan, I will just book a hotel within Manhattan even if I have to pay more than SIJ's rate.
You might be thinking why should I fork out more on lodging since I would be out and about most of my time there. Well, by the time I next visit NY, I would probably be with my family. With QW around, I think I will just pay a bit more for our sanity. If I was alone, then I would go for SIJ. At least I know that if I stay SIJ, there are elevators and I don't have to lug my luggage up and down flight of stairs.
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One of the pleasures of waking up early in a foreign land is to be among the first few people to enjoy a wholesome breakfast. חבילות נופש בחו"ל
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