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I'm very curious how the \"Nastiest Foulest Hotel in America\" still manages to get a 1.5 Star rating on TripAdvisor.
This is the problem with user ratings--they naturally skew high. Always give a bit more weight to the bad reviews than the good ones.
Still, $122/night in Manhattan is quite a deal.
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@Stephen Marseille: On the local news either today or yesterday (either WCBS or WNBC) they mentioned that there are some 4 star hotel rooms in Manhattan going for about $125.
I stayed at the Roosevelt on 45th and Madison (4 blocks from Times Square) for $150 a night, January 5-10. It was immaculately clean and beautiful.
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Sadly, not that unusual in NYC. The Hotel Pennsylvania, despite its landmark status, is nearly as bad.
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@nicemarmot617: My hotel penn experience from a couple years ago: There was exposed wiring near the floor, holes in the wall, the lock didn't work, the drop down ironing board couldn't shut, the bathroom looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years and there was a large amount of hair when we pulled back the sheet. A woman on our floor was outside her room crying on her cell looking for help finding somewhere else because it was so disgusting.
We'd always wondered why there were always so many people in the lobby (we'd stayed next door a few times), turns out they couldn't bring themselves to spend any more time than necessary in their rooms.
@nicemarmot617: OK, I'll share my Hotel Penn story- Check in was kind of crazy- a large non-english speaking tour group was in the lobby having some kind of problem with their reservations. I got my keycard and went to the room. When I opened the door I suprised a guy sitting on the bed taking his shoes off. I apologized and went back down to the front desk, elbowed my way past the clamoring tourists and got another room.
This one was on a higher floor, and the hallway was noticeably darker and dingier. The room was very small and worn, but did not seem to all that dirty.
Two odd things, though: The window air conditioner seemed to be in a death struggle with the heater- both were running at full tilt. And the telephone was resting on the chair rather than the small table..I found this was because the phone cord was only about 3 feet long, so it was either the chair or the floor, I guess.
Overall it was kind of creepy, I was glad to only be there for one night.
@nicemarmot617: I would never send a loved one to Hotel Penn knowingly. I do know a person who stayed there accidentally didn't have any major problems, but the woman in the lobby waiting with us talked about roaches emerging from her headboard. Also, one person had to be moved because he awoke one night to see a rat perched on his shoulder.
I used to work in the building next door, and we had a rodent problem as well. I think any building in proximity to a major tunnel-based transportation hub is going to have to be more vigilant about pest control. Penn might be saved with some care and attention, but who knows.
Hotel Carter on the other hand needs to be shut down and bulldozed immediately. The photos on Trip Advisor gave me physical chills. I've seen more than a few disgusting dwellings in the NYC area over the years, and none come close to these photos. My boyfriend was especially delighted about this article, since he first stayed here 20 years ago when looking for work in the city. Back then, it was a YMCA with linoleum and bunk beds, populated by addicts and prostitutes. He ended up leaving before he could spend the night at the urging of his local friend.
@nicemarmot617: Oh, c'mon now. The Penn isn't on my list of hotels where I'd stay in NYC, but it's NOWHERE near as bad as the Hotel Carter.
The Penn's worn but serviceable. The Carter is... worse than the worst accommodation I've had in 3rd world countries.
@nicemarmot617: I have had great experiences at the Penn as well (this was over 5 years ago). I actually found the room quite large (and not just by NY standards). No issues with cleanliness either.
I know this isn't a hotel review site, but just had to chime in.
@nicemarmot617: I've stayed at the Hotel Penn. Either I got one of the hotel's presidential suites or something, or people exaggerate how bad the place is. The decor was quite dated, yes, but the room was perfectly clean when I arrived and was kept that way throughout my stay. There were no sorts of infestation or anything like that that I could see anywhere. As I recall, the only annoying thing was getting surprised by an unusually high phone charge. (This was in July of '01, BTW.)
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@LoadStar: Agreed. We took the family there (me, my husband, two stepkids, and my mother-in-law) and rented 2 rooms.
We were nervous about our selection, but decided to take the chance so that we could have much more spending money.
We had no problems at all. Of course the rooms weren't new and shiny, but they weren't excessively dirty. Also that was a very hot week and we were glad that the a/c worked wonderfully as well.
@LoadStar: That's quite a while ago - my understanding is that it is badly infested with bedbugs in most of the rooms and the management cannot be bothered to clean them out.
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@nicemarmot617: Wow, that's good to know. Every time I think about booking a trip to NYC, the Hotel Penn inevitably comes up in ads and even on Expedia and American Airlines websites. So far, for various reasons, I've needed hotels in other areas and haven't tried it, but I've been tempted to stay there because of the location and price. Now I know not to.
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@humphrmi: I just wanted to give you my experience with the Comfort Inn in Long Island City, Queens. It was always clean, the staff was very nice, I felt safe in the neighborhood, and it was only a block from the Queensboro Plaza subway station. It only took about 15 minutes from me leaving the hotel to be in Times Square. So, if you're trying to save a buck, I would recommend staying here next time you go to NYC.
The last time I walked by they still rented rooms for 2 and 3 hours. They have a unique clientele.
@henwy: It'd actually make for bad TV. The cameras would just show a blue/white screen. Whereas other hotels have stains here & there, the Carter would be completely covered, one stain over the next.
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TripAdvisor gives them a 50% increase! Wow!
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look at the reader-submitted photos on tripadvisor, those are the money shots. and then explain how this place hasn't been closed down by the board of health. the entire building needs to be torn down.
@Mr. Guy: Its awesome to check out a bunch of reader-submitted photos and then switch to the 'professional' photos.
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Whatever you do, don't call room service!
@Mr. Guy:
I don't know NYC's electric code, but Chicago's is almost identical & that ungrounded outlet is illegal here in a hotel room.
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Sounds lots of people are being serviced in the rooms.
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Hey, its a new type of tourism, all for only $122 a night.
the carter has what may be the worst website in the world, but through google i came to this amazing blurb about their rooms. The FIRST THING they brag about is their cleanliness!!
Comfortable Rooms and Wonderful Views
The heart of Hotel Carter is their rooms; cleanliness, spaciousness and modern appointments. Choose from three room types to suit your needs.
We have the Standard 1 King which has 1 king bed. Room has sofa and private bath plus basic cable television and ac.
The Standard 2 Doubles room has private bath with shower/tub combination plus basic cable television and ac.
Our Triple Room type is a Standard room with 1 king bed and 1 double bed room has private bath plus basic cable television and ac.
@Mr. Guy: The website takes some liberties, but even their pics aren't able to cover the nastiness. Take a look under Rooms. That's not wallpaper on the wall. It's actually CARPET they've stapled to it to cover up holes/mold/etc. The curtain looks like it's not been washed since it was hung 20-30 years ago and the furniture/bedspread look as if they've not been touched since the 1970's either
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That's not wallpaper on the wall. It's actually CARPET...
@FLConsumer: Holy Sh#t!
That could actually be funny if it weren't true.
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@Mr. Guy: I'm fairly positive that if they used the slogan \"Nasty ass rooms for the price, ignore the frisbee sized insects, diseased rodents, and used condoms\" that the business would FLOCK right on in.
/exageration
Looking at the TripAdvisor's ratings, there are hotels in Manhattan that have ratings of 3-4 for $120 or under, so there are some values there.
Some people just want a clean room with a shower, bed and TV...
There is a good point here. Cheaper hotels do not clean nearly as well as more expensive ones, but even the expensive ones do not do deep cleaning often or at all.
@SarcasticDwarf: I'm not sure why it is, but in New York City, hotels realistically are 1-star less than what they claim. The 4-star hotels there are what I'd consider 3-star. Even the fabled top-end hotels in NYC aren't properly maintained.
@Gokuhouse: You've never been to NYC have you?
@SarcasticDwarf: $122 a night doesn't seem cheap to me. While traveling I often see signs for 30 or less a night.
this is a story i sent in as a tip to gridskipper; it's a shame the video is gone, but the upshot is that even high-end hotels can have some pretty repulsive cleaning practices. and it's not necessarily their fault either- unmonitored employees will cut corners; it's human nature.
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Makes Motel 6 look really good. That was always my dad's choice when we traveled as kids.
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It is rated #340 of #413 Hotels in NYC by trip advisor -- so there are 73 WORSE ones??
@j-o-h-n:
tripadvisor places the unranked hotels at the bottom of the list.
I guess they suppose negative news is better than no news.
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It's funny how you guys left out the half naked woman being tossed out a window or the clerk attacking someone, as if those were minor offenses. I guess they are though when compared to murder...
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Nice to see this hotel
Is still in business, corpse mattresses and all.
Apparently, you get what you pay for.
Of course, like everyone else- I am thoroughly grossed out by the pictures but lets be reasonable. If it looks like too good of a deal, it probably is. They keep in business because of their prices and location. It's the sad truth. Where are the NYC inspectors??
@verucalise: The fact is, even for $122/night, you shouldn't have to put up with that sort of nightmare.
@COELACANTH: I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, people are putting up with it because they either A: can't afford a better hotel or B: Find out too late what a nasty place it is, and have no other choice but to stay there.
It unfortunate, and I hope with a lot of bad PR, they'll fix the place up to at least acceptable.
A dirty room is the least of my worries after reading that article...
\"The Hotel Carter has a sordid history, according to the AP: An employee killed a co-worker with a knife and hammer at the front desk in 1999 and a half-naked woman was pushed out of a window in 1997.\"
Gotta love tripadvisor for the real deal on hotels.
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\"There's a dead WHORE under the mattress!\"
I loved Four Rooms....
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That place reminds me of Blue Creek Apartments in Silent Hill 2. Though, not as nice.
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My favorite review is the one by \"HappySueUk\". She wrote a poem!
An excerpt:
\"We were tired, we had had a long flight,
on checking in, our senses were not aware of our plight,
five minutes in the room, we began to sense the gloom,
the hotel was a hellhole.\"
Sorry, have to agree with the hotel manager. Don't stay in a filthy hotel and then complain about the filth afterward.
I find it hard to believe that a bed that was full of bugs wouldn't show visible signs of being disgusting. If you are willing to lower your standards of hygiene to sleep somewhere like this, you kind of shouldn't bitch about it afterward.
@tc4b:
They are entitled to, but that doesn't make it any less silly to sleep in a visibly filthy bed in an obviously filthy hotel and complain about it afterward. If you want to lower your standards, go right ahead. But that was your decision. It's not like the hotel was engaging in deceptive practices to disguise its poor cleaning standards, like having cleaning staff switch dirty bed sheets for different unwashed ones, shining hotel glasses with the toilet rag, etc.
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@aguacarbonica: Believe it or not this place has a bit of a cult following simply for the fact that it is so outrageously gross and the staff seem proud of it. For me I love reading the reviews, it's like a train wreck that keeps delivering! They've topped the \"worst hotel\" lists for years.
@CFinWV: I agree. Only walked through it once, visiting a friend who had the misfortune of booking a room there. They ended up not spending the night there. Ever since I've been fascinated that people are willing to put up with such crap.
For $100/night, I don't expect much, but I do expect some level of decency.
I can't afford them, so I don't travel. I don't lower my standards in order to do so; I just try to save money so that I don't have to sleep with bed bugs. It's called dignity and personal standards.
If you travel to a pricey city like New York, and expect to stay in the city, you should also expect that having an enjoyable trip is going to be an expensive affair. It's not right, but that's the way it is. I don't think most of these people were shocked to find that out either. I think that they read the reviews, thought everyone else was being whiny, and then were unpleasantly surprised to find that they weren't as ready and willing to slum it as they thought they were.
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Honestly though, would you stay in this hotel after you checked in and saw the filth and bugs and nastiness? I would grab my crap and leave and if necessary file a chargeback with my credit card company to get my money back for the nights I didn't stay there. But of course I would also take pics and send them to the credit card company as proof as to why no human should sleep in that nasty hellhole. BTW what was up with the pic of the dead mouse covered in what looked to be Coke dust? Did it OD or something? Heh!
Wasn't this the hotel where Duane and Belial stayed in \"Basket Case\"???
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Not to be gross, but what's with all the reports of finding some else's poo in the toilet. They've got a serial shitter?
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I wonder who owns this \"hotel\"?
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The pool got a rating of 4 stars...bwa ha ha ha ha!
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I HAVE STAYED HERE!! And it's all true! We stayed two nights before it was too much for us. Among other things: rats ate our garbage. The smoke detector was found, sans batteries, in a desk drawer. And the worst thing of all - when we went out for the day on our second day of the trip, we returned home to find that THE LOCKS ON OUR ROOM HAD BEEN CHANGED. Not just a new setting on a key card or anything - I mean that they had changed from an old-fashioned key lock to a new key card lock, WHILE WE WERE OUT. Then they wanted us to prove that it was really our room, since, DUH, the old-fashioned key didn't let us into our room anymore. The problem? They'd never given us a receipt. We finally convinced the lady at the desk that it was ours, got our shit, and booked it out the door at top speed.
Hotel Pennsylvania is a dirty disgusting hellhole. It is exactly what came to mind when I read about the hotel above. It is the most digusting filthy place I have ever had the horrible luck of staying in. It makes me leery of EVERY OTHER NYC PROPERTY. Stay away from Hotel Penn like the plague or you may end up with one.
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Even the dead mouse in the photos seems to be shrieking in horror.
@humphrmi: As a rule of thumb you should never take the cheapest option when it comes to hotels. That goes double if it's in a major city.
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The hotel I stayed at in a suburb of Milan had naked prostitutes outside. And in the morning there was human poops on the sidewalk.
Avoid Hotel Bogart.
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Hey, check out the review posted today blaming the foreign visitors for the bugs and mice. Huh? The person who posted it joined today, too. I think it's by someone who works there.
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because they are a one star hotel, they have one star standards of cleanliness
\"Exactly how good is a one-star hotel?\"
\"Can I put it to you this way, Mrs. Slocombe: there is no such thing as a no-star hotel.\"
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The first review I read was 4 stars, and blamed the mice, bugs and filth on European tourists! LOL.
@robotrousers: Yeah, I posted about that, too. I looked at that review and they posted it today and just joined today. I don't believe the review. I think someone is trying to mitigate the bad press.
This was the Dixie Hotel that Johnny Carson used as a standing joke in his monologues before the show moved west in 1972. I believe a new owner changed the name to Carter to capitalize on Jimmy Carter's election in 76.
I reccommend Hotel Roommate Grace. Its a 3 star on west 45th street a half block from times square. I booked through Hotwire for 125 a night. Modern and trendy worth the money...same price with no bedbugs and a killer pool and bar.
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Looking at tripadvisor photos.
Wow, this hotel sucks.
So how many stars = clean?
Wait.. we have inspectors here?
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Worst. Clock tower. Ever.
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This hotel is now under investigation for child porno.
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Its a vicious circle...
Since people rate them one star they only clean to a one star level which in turn causes people to rate them one star so they only clean to a one star level which in turn causes people to rate them one star so they only clean to a one star level which in turn causes people to rate them one star.
Oh my.
@parad0x360:
The exposed electrical outlets seem like a major cause for concern. You'd think that the place would have been shut down years ago.
Well, if they weren't one star to begin with there won't be a circle. You are not funny. People have died there.
@parad0x360: They could at least pick up the dead rats.
@parad0x360: Didn't '60 Minutes' do a story on the Carter 20 or so years ago, when it was a welfare hotel.
Then it had two entrances, one for the welfare \"guests\" & another for the cash paying ones.
The welfare entrance & floors were disgusting but the cash paying ones were clean according to what we were shown on the segment.
@parad0x360: This is the song that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on my friend...
@parad0x360: Um, or, they could clean it up, and maybe that would then end the vicious circle?