Ravel Hotel - New York

We stay at Ravel Hotel on our honeymoon. We choose this hotel because we did not want to stay in Manhattan and the view was promised to be excellent. The hotel was very good and fairly clean. The view either from our balcony and from the rooftop bar breathtaking. The concierge was really helpfull and they run a shuttle every our to the subway which is 10 mins away. The surrounding is industrial so not too nice to the eye but you just need to look up. The neighborood felt safely even at night. Despite being under Quensborough bridge the room wasn't too noisy. Only thing we did not like is the fact the the toilet cubicle did not give us a lot of privacy (just a frosted glass). Also if you're in the penthouse (just under the rooftop bar) it can be noisy until 2ish am.

Clean, funky little boutique hotel and rooms are a good size for NYC. The view from the new rooftop terrace is superb, although drinks are pretty pricey. The subway is just two stops from Times Square and catching a yellow cab from the subway station was easy enough in the evnings etc. The hotel provides a free shuttle to the subway, but walking back was also easy enough and only took 5 minutes. It was nice to be out of the frenzy of the city, but if you want to mainly go about by foot, stay in Manhattan (or do what we did-3 nights in Manhattan then 3 nights at The Ravel). One final tip-taxi drivers don't know where the hotel is, so give them the street number, don't just say Queens Plaza South!

Fabulous hotel. View of Manhattan from roof top terrace was stunning. 4 tops on subway into Manhattan and so easy to get there. I will never stay in Manhattan again. The staff couldn't have been more helpful.

We decided to stay at the Ravel due to the cheap price despite reviews lambasting its location, and what a good decision it turns out to have been. The hotel is a 5-10 minute walk from Queensboro Plaza subway (one stop to Lexington Avenue, two to Fifth Avenue and direct services to Times Square and Grand Central are available), and the walk whilst admittedly not being particularly scenic always felt safe and untroubled. The room was of top quality, cleaned daily to a high standard. Staff were always very helpful and friendly and offered to store our luggage when we arrived early (as well as after check out) free of charge. There are a few bars and restaurants in Long Island City, again a 5 minute walk from the hotel, and these are much cheaper than those in Manhatten, but with added local charm, and there are also a couple of boutiques and cafes that were worth a visit. Definitely a good call if you are on a budget and are not entirely fussed about being bang in the centre of town. (Also the place is a couple of blocks away from the Silvercup Studios, which filmed a scene in the hotel and along the waterfront during our stay)

The hotel is a hidden gem. Based in long island it is 10 minutes away from the subway which is a 5-10 minute walk away. The room was huge by new york standards and always clean- the bed was the most comfortable i have ever slept on in a hotel. The air conditioner and heater were easy to use. The staff were FANTASTIC and helped us with everything. The shuttle to the subway was handy due to the icy conditions. overall the hotel is definitly worth a visit if you dont mind being away from manhattan and using the subway.

A good clean hotel. The staff were friendly and efficient, willing to go the extra mile to make your stay a good one. As an example, the poor concierge twice had to replace batteries in our TV remote, only to finally spot that we'd inadvertantly places a stuffed toy in front of the reciever... (Oops!)

Lovely hotel, friendly and helpful staff, gorgeous room especially the bathroom. Interesting location - we had visited NY before but always stayed in Manhattan. No problems getting to Manhattan from this hotel, although don't make the mistake we did of thinking you can walk over the 59th St bridge! You need to use the subway, but it's only 10 mins walk and easy to use. Not sure how it would be to use the subway and then walk back late at night - we didn't do this. Nice views at night over Manhattan, although some obstructions from delapidated buildings. It looks as though they are regenerating the area, so maybe this drawback will disappear. Couldn't fault it really.

Overall the hotel was excellent only that you are a little far away from the action. It is close in proximity to the subway but you may not be comfortable coming back to the hotel via the subway with alot of shopping. Gat a taxi back to the hotel on the meter at all times as this is much cheaper. The hotel will get a taxi for you but we found that the price the hotel quoted and what this private taxi firm asked for were two different things. overall very pleased.

I was really pleased with this choice of hotel. Going to NYC on a budget is difficult; and I didn't want to end up in some dive where rooms were rented by the hour. So I was pleasantly surprised by the quasi-boutique nature of this hotel: the rooms are decorated to a high standard with wall-mounted flatscreen TV etc etc. I'd read the other reviews so was aware of the two problems: location and noise. On the location, it's not ideal but it's a ten minute walk from the metro station and whilst it is down a side street I didn't feel unsafe (but I can understand others who may). The noise was more of a problem - it is constant traffic which sounds like heavy rain even through closed windows and curtains. But once you are asleep you won't notice, and who goes to NYC to sit in their hotel room?

Four of us stayed at this hotel for a week whilst holidaying in New York. It is a small, privately owned hotel located within a fifteen min walk of the subway, so close enough to access Manhatten and the shopping areas. The hotel is stylishly decorated in dark wood, chrome and modern furniture, the bedrooms are large, with huge comfy beds with white linen, a huge plasma TV, fridge & coffee making facilities. Bathrooms are minimalist yet stylish and functional.The hotel may not be in the heart of Manhatten, but this is reflected in the price. I would rather stay a little out of town where it is quieter, in an extremely stylish, four star yet cheaper comfortable hotel, than stay in a similarly priced one in Manhatten which is two star, full of chintz & floral wallpaper, and not big enough to swing a cat in. Lets face it, you will be shopping all day, so you wont see much of your hotel room except for evenings/nights. So you wont have a Manhatten skyline view.And with the blinds drawn at night you could be anywhere! Interestingly, the hotel is a two min walk from Silvercup Film Studios, where lots of famous TV and films are produced, such as Ugly Betty and Gangs of New York. All in all, a great hotel for the money. I would definitely stay here again. The manager/owner is very switched on to his guests requirements, and does all he can to make your stay enjoyable.