Has anyone stayed at Rooms in New York - apartments located at 349 W. 53rd st?

I know you posted this same question about a week ago and there were responses, but none of us could even find a listing for this place on Google or anywhere else. Any more information? How did you hear about it, and where do you book it? Are these apartments at that actual address, or is that the address of the agency that books various apartments? I did find a couple of other businesses at that address.

Here's a Google result from the New York Observer's Real Estate section, April 30, 2001 (so a lot can have happened since then):

"CLINTON

349 West 53rd Street

Four-story, 3,350-square-foot townhouse.

Asking: $1.125 million. Selling: $885,000.

Time on the market: two months.

HELL'S KITCHEN HILTON This four-story building, configured as four floor-through apartments, was home to a group of transplants for about 15 years. Back in the mid-1980's, Hilton Hotels needed more parking space for its hotel at Sixth Avenue and 53rd Street, so they bought the apartment building next door. To get the tenants to leave, the Hilton Hotel Corporation bought and renovated this building and rented it out to them cheaply-the price goes up nominally each year-and promised that they would not be asked to move again. Now, with only one of those tenants still in the house, Hilton has sold this building to a family from New Jersey. According to Christoffer Brodhead of Massey Knakal Realty, the broker representing Hilton, the family is still in the "architect stage" and has not yet decided whether they will take over three floors for their own use or just two. One thing is for sure: The lucky Hilton-era holdout tenant, on the top floor, doesn't have to go anywhere."

I think the fact that this place doesn't show up in any listings anyplace is significant and perhaps sufficient all by itself. Where did YOU find out about it?

I plugged in www.roomsinnewyork.com just out of curiosity. The page that came up advertised rooms, but the on-line booking "button" didn't work and the "Find out about location" sends you to the nycvisit.com site (like the rooms in NY people "stole" the page), the price says $100 A WEEK (yeah right) And, in my opinion the girl on the website homepage looks like she is advertising something that she is too young to be selling . . .

I would look elsewhere

I wonder if this was the result of an assignment? My daughter did a fake website for a college course...

From the website, it looks like this is an apartment referral service moreso than a short term tourist booking agency.
If you are looking for a vacation rental, you might try www.vrbo.com or www.metro-home.com

If you are looking for superbudget accomodations in NYC you might try one of the hostels. I don;t have the info at hand - but if you do a search above there was a thread with the web site of the NYC hostel listing service. You might find something for perhaps $25/$30 per person per night in a dorm room.

Thanks to all of you for your research.
The site is: www.roomsinny.com and I heard some folks talking about how convenient the place was. The rates were priced at $115-150 per ni for studio +$10p/ni for additional person or 1 bedroom apt. priced at $180-220 p/ni. Any thoughts?

My thought is: try Priceline. This operation looks a little shady, probably unlicensed.

$180-220/ night for a one bedroom "no matter how many people"???? Come on! This smells very, very bad.

Ok, that website looks a bit nicer than the other one I found, but . . .

Why don't you post your criteria here and get some suggestions for another place (Or try Priceline). When you get to the city take an hour or so and go check this place out - as a possiblity for NEXT TIME

A couple of thoughts - the studios look small but serviceable. Cannot sleep more than two unless you bring a sleeping bag. they don;t show the 1 bedroom - so don;t know what it looks like - or how many your could sleep. But for $180 you can certainly do better via Priceline - like a real hotel.

Satellite TV - they say connection - not that you get the service - I would assume if you're there long-term you would need to pay extra to get cable. Also - your local TV reception may be very poor - it often is in Manhattan if you don;t have cable since there are so many tall buildings blocking the signals.

This is a walk-up building - no elevator - which may be an issue for some.

The location is not just "steps from Central Park" - if everything else they say is equally accurate you may be in big trouble.