Atmosphere and local color to burn at this renovated/expanded tenement in a very historical area -- next door is the fascinating Tenement Museum, and 100 years ago the surrounding blocks made up the most densely populated place on earth! We stayed in the magnificent Eddie Cantor room, 8th floor (three floors were added when the hotel was created), 700 mammoth square feet, terrific balcony view from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Chrysler Building! Lovely old woodwork salvaged from the old building, sparkling retro bath, beautiful couch and queen bed. TV tiny and far from the bed, but you don't go to a place like this to watch the tube. You leave your key at the front desk, which is manned/womaned 24 hrs. The elevator is slower than molasses, but always seems to be available, as there's only 23 rooms. Lovely continental breakfast. Crazy-good artsy decor, hand-painted walls, huge volumes of Goya in the lobby (!), hall walls decorated with clips from old NYC newspapers -- including an article by Mussolini! Decent restaurants are about a five minute walk, the F line is right around the corner on Essex. Nice talks with the proprietor, a loquacious NYC native with a penchant for fedoras. Go!
Pros: Colorful, friendly, 24 hour front desk
Cons: Slow elevator, door jiggled
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