rattravlers

Looking at the Pod hotels...51 & 39....for a 2 week stay in January. I know they are tiny! Price difference is $10 a night ($85 vs. $75). Which one would be better located as far as safety, convenient dining or grocery stores & public transportation? Solo female traveler so want to feel okay about getting around....

artsbabe

I've stayed at the Pod on 51st a couple of times & I really like that neighborhood. Lots of good restaurants in the block with the hotel and a diner around the corner on 2nd Ave. Convenient to the subway, too. I was there on business, so by myself (female), and I felt safe (though I'm used to big city life, so I feel pretty confident and safe in most places).

doug_stallings

To some degree it depends on what you intend to do during your two weeks. Both locations have advantages and disadvantages, but neither is a bad place to be.

The Pod Hotel on 51st is between 1st and 2nd, which is a pretty decent area, somewhat residential, somewhat not. There are a lot of businesses, restaurants, and grocery stores on the surrounding streets, primarily on 2nd Avenue. There's a McDonald's and Starbucks on 3rd Ave between 50th and 51st. I know there's a Gristede's supermarket on 2nd, but I can't remember the exact street. If you stay here you'll probably be using the bus as well as the subway since you have to walk up to Park for the number 6 subway. For transportation, I have to give the edge to Pod 39.

Pod 39 is between 3rd and Lex, which is not exactly a barren wasteland but also not the most attractive area in the city. There is a proximity to Grand Central, grocery stores on 3rd Avenue and 39th Street (so I guess that's a LOT closer, but then it's a D'Agostino, which is both bad and expensive). But there are a lot of good restaurants nearby, including a couple of great hamburger places. If you want to go out, there are tons of bars catering to the right out of college crowd on 3rd Ave between 38th and 31st Streets. I used to live on 35th, so I know this area the best, and it's really convenient for transportation since you can get to the west side via Grand Central or even walk to Times Square in about 15 minutes. Grand Central is also where you to go get the subway, but you can take the bus up 3rd Ave. or down Lexington.

nytraveler

All tourist areas of Manhattan are as safe as any large city - safer than every other one in the US.

I like the 50s neighborhood better - more residential and less business - good since you stay is so long.

Fra_Diavolo

Pod 51 is between 2nd and 3rd, not 1st and 2nd.

On that block there are a number of restaurants, bars and cafes -- Le Bateau Ivre and BXL East (Belgian) and a couple of others. On 2nd Ave you'll find the above mentioned coffee shop, the Morning Star Cafe, many restaurants and pubs, and two grocery stores, a Food Emporium and a Morton Williams. You're near several subway lines including the 6, a local train which will take you up to the Met or down to Union Square and below, and the E, which is useful for getting to the westside downtown (4th St stop). Of course, many transfers are available as well.

Not familiar with the 39th St location.

glenmd

I was looking at the two hotels as well (spending five nights in New York in late March), one difference I noted is the single rooms in pod 39 seem to have private bathrooms, while pod 51 singles have shared washrooms. Upgrading to something with a private bath would make pod 51 significantly more expensive ($35 +taxes /night approx.)

At $127 (+taxes)/night, reasonable reviews and location, POD 39 looks like the most acceptable candidate so far in my hotel search.

emd3

Have you looked at the Jane hotel? You can get a standard cabin w/shared bath for total of $79 a night any night in January.

emd3

p.s. I have not stayed there but there are posters on this board who like the Jane.

mclaurie

The big difference, as glenmd points out is the rooms at Pod 39 have private bahrooms while at the 51, they don't. To the OP, I gave you some other options on your other thread. To glenmd, depending on when you're visiting, there may well be better options. I'd look on quikbook.com kayak.com and also on Hotwire if you're visiting in the New Year. $127 is not that cheap for Jan-March for such small rooms.

doug_stallings

But I think the point glenmd was making was that he/she did NOT want a shared bath. I agree that the Pod 39 may be a bit better choice for singles.

The Larchmont in the Village also has cheaper shared-bath room, and while the rooms there are truly small, the are nice and well cared for, and the baths are very clean. I've stayed there a few times. It's an excellent location.

glenmd

Well, in choosing between the 51 and 39, for my dates, there was no price difference between the two. If the shared bathroom option were to result in significant savings, then I might reconsider. So, the Larchmont and the Jane may be viable alternatives (haven't decided yet)

As it is, I made a reservation for Pod 39. I may try my luck with Hotwire in the New Year, but I don't like pre-paying for a hotel months before I get there, so whatever I find would have to be a substantial improvement for me to change.

doug_stallings

I like the location of Pod 39 better, so I think you made the right choice. But I wouldn't hesitate to tell you to change to another hotel if something better comes along for the same price (or just a little more).

owlwoman

I stayed at the Pod 39 hotel during the hurricane, the staff couldn't be nicer and I found the rooms to not be too terribly small, I was sharing one with a girlfriend, we just took turns giving each other privacy. The other plus for the Pod 39 is that April Broomfield just opened a restaurant in the lobby....