Stayed at East Village Bed and Coffee over New Year 2011/2012

We were impressed from the moment we arrived. Harrison gave us a tour of the amenities and was very helpful with local information and facilities we could use during our stay, such as the bikes and the MOMA pass. If you read the FAQ on the East Village Bed and Coffee website, it tells you pretty much everything you could possible need to know during your visit. From the people we met during our stay, I would say the place had a very laid back vibe and felt more like staying in a shared house than a hotel.

We stayed in the Afghani room on the middle floor and were fairly pleased with our choice. I didn't see the top floor rooms, but liked the look of the middle floor rooms. If I stayed again I think I would probably go for the French room on the middle floor as we had a look in it while it was empty and it seemed bigger and lighter than ours, as well as being a bit more private. The setup on the ground floor was quite odd in that the whole floor is basically one massive workshop/living room/kitchen and the guest rooms are actually raised up within that one big room, each up a flight of stairs. I don't know what they would have been like to stay in.

I wasn't too sure about staying somewhere with a shared bathroom, but this never really turned out to be a problem, and everyone seemed to make sure they kept the place clean and tidy. Having a kitchen to use was a real plus and meant we could just stock up on breakfast etc from the supermarket across the road, and extras like free tea and (real) coffee, the use of a computer with a printer etc were a bonus.

The only criticisms I would have of the place are that the walls are fairly thin and as someone else pointed out, the doors stick a bit so it can sometimes be a quite noisy. Having said that, if you are looking for a trip with lots of peace and quiet I don't think New York is the place for you ! Also, while our room was done out in an interesting Afghan theme, it could perhaps do with a bit of TLC as there were chunks of plaster missing from the walls. Not a big deal, but more of an issue was the lack of any storage apart from one small wardrobe, so we were basically living out of our bags all week. As I said before, Harrison was very helpful when we arrived, but apart from that, we never really saw any of the staff around again. We called down to the reception area a number of times as we had some queries, but there never seemed to be anyone there. Ok, there is a contact mobile number to call if you have a major problem, but we didn't use it as what we wanted to know wasn't that urgent. Still, it would have been nice to have been able to talk to someone.

These are only minor issues and if the rating system allowed I would give East Village Bed and Coffee 9 out of 10, but it doesn't so I am giving it four stars. I would stay here again, but maybe pay a few bucks extra and go for a larger room.

Really liked the East Village area in general as it doesn't feel touristy, plus there are plenty of bars and restaurants around.

One other thing - probably the smartest thing we did on our trip was buying a five day unlimited travel MetroCard. We had aimed to try and walk round New York as much as possible but to get to some of the major sights from East Village can be quite a hike. We mainly used it on the buses but you can use it on the subway as well. I reckon it saved us a fortune in taxi fares.

This is the best (and certainly the coolest) place I've ever stayed in while visiting NYC. Anne and Harrison were very welcoming and helpful. The dogs were so sweet and really added to the homey atmosphere of the hotel - thanks Anne for letting us take Mango for a walk! Although we didn't make use of it, there is a kitchen for cooking your own meals. Don't be put off by the shared bathrooms, they were always very clean and no one in our group ever had to wait to use one. The neighborhood is fantastic, there are some great restaurants and bars in very close proximity. We will definitely be back!

East Village Bed and Coffee is the best place I have ever stayed. My husband and I have stayed many times and most recently on the day we moved to NYC when we discovered our new apartment was filthy. WE WERE MOVING ACROSS COUNTRY!! Anne was a LIFESAVER!!! The last time we stayed we were apartment hunting and hurricane Irene arrived. Anne made dinner for all the guests knowing everybody was stuck and we enjoyed the comfort of Home despite the weather. I can not say enough great things about this place especially Mango and Blanquita the dogs are a HUGE BONUS!! Thank you Anne for feeling like part of your Family!!!

We stayed at the East Village Bed and Coffee for 3 nights in late October 2011. It is a very funky, (do they still use that word?), different place to stay! We know the rooms are small, (we stayed in the Piper Cherokee room), but hey, you're only there to sleep!! Also, the shared bathrooms might put some people off, but hey, you're only there to shower! Everything is very clean! It's about a 11 minute walk from Houston Subway and from there you can go anywhere in New York so easily, or the buses are even closer!! We are in our mid 60s and would definitely come back to this accommodation. The East Village is an eclectic area and after 3 days it really felt like our 'hood'! We would also like to say how helpful our host Harrison was, whenever we asked for his help/assistance!