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Harlem YMCA Reviews

180 West 135th Street, NY 10030, New York, New York, USA

Reviews & Ratings Explained

73%Overall Rating

From 93 ratings
  • 69%Character
  • 79%Security
  • 70%Location
  • 84%Staff
  • 66%Atmosphere
  • 68%Cleanliness

The following reviews were submitted by customers who booked in the last 6 months.

The reviews and ratings in the rating box are based on all-time feedback and are the opinions of the customers who submitted them and do not express the opinions of Hostelworld.com. This way, you get an up to the minute opinion of just how good a hostel really is. Read our review guidelines »

We now classify our reviewers based on how well travelled they are.

  • Novice Nomad: 1-10 Reviews Added
  • Avid Traveller: 10-20 Reviews Added
  • Globetrotter : 20+ Reviews Added
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93%

My real complaint is that the room doors are really really loud every time someone closes the door. This kept me up till 2 to 3 am in the morning for the both nights I stayed there. People have to slam the door really hard in order to close it on their way out of their room. This problem can be reduced if staff would tell guest not to slam the door but to turn the key to the left to retract the latch, then slowly pull the door shut and release the key. This approach does not make any noise.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 19 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Canada
  • Male, 41+
  • (1 review)


83%

Cheap and clean. Extremely close to the subway, staff all super friendly!

  • Avid Traveller
  • 13 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Australia
  • Male, 18-24
  • (10 reviews)


80%

The restrooms doors closes violently every time someone don't pay attention to it. It makes loudly noises, specially during the night.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 13 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Brazil
  • Male, 25-30
  • (1 review)


67%

The staff was very friendly and helpful at all times and the gym was great. What I didn't like was the location. I guess if you are travelling with a group or as a couple it's quite ok but if you are travelling on your own and walk through the streets to get to the Y it's really spooky. I didn't feel safe. At least the next metro stop is very close.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 11 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Germany
  • Female, 25-30
  • (1 review)


70%

Cool historic building with polite desk staff. Our door had a sticky handle and the hallway noise was pretty audible, but the rooms were clean and well-maintained. The communal shower was the same way: rickety but clean, and the water took a second to get going but got nice and hot. When we checked in we got two vouchers for discounted breakfast at a nearby soul food place, which was lovely (delicious grits). I'd recommend it if you plan to spend time in Harlem. Touristy stuff is too far away.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 10 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Couple, 18-24
  • (1 review)


70%

Polite and enthusiastic staff. Facilities not great, plastic sheets on beds and toilets were not clean.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 09 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Scotland
  • Couple, 25-30
  • (2 reviews)


80%

We went there just to have a place to sleep. The staff was really nice and friendly. Bedrooms are small, but enough if only to sleep. Very near the metro station.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 08 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • France
  • Male, 18-24
  • (1 review)


80%

Good to have all the fitness facilties. There was a lavatroy flushing loudly all night on the 11th floor for more than one night. I hope it was fixed.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 08 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • England
  • Male, 41+
  • (1 review)


67%

Security is too much. Big bro is watching as if you are a prisoner. Horrible. For women there 's only one bathroom with no seperate toilet toilet on floor 11. So you have to wander to other floors looking for a toilet in the middle of the night. Staff is friendly and location is great, when you like Harlem. Good food around and subway is close. At the back theres a great view on Manhattan, which we enjoyed.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 08 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Netherlands
  • Couple, 31-40
  • (1 review)


63%

Our bedroom that has no mirror which is difficult when drying our hair and also more awkward when doing our make up on without the mirror, difficult because we only had one shared bathroom with everyone on a whole floor which always being used that has the mirror. Our beds were not so comfortable because we could feel the springs from the mattress and it squeaks when we Moved! The pillow is rather slim/flat and we had to fold it in halves to puff it up. To have a better sleep.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 05 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • England
  • Female, 31-40
  • (1 review)


83%

Our group had a great time in NYC and the YMCA Harlem was a great place for us because of the great location, the rooms were clean, the price was good, and the staff was very kind and helpful. The only negatives were that one of the rooms did not have air conditioning as advertized, but it was not needed because the weather was mild. Also, one of our group members had to leave after the first night due to a death, and none of the money was refunded to them. Overall good and would stay again.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 04 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Mixed Group, 31-40
  • (1 review)


80%

thanks a lot to harlem staff ! they were very kind and helpfull finding some places to go. the hostel is well situated in the center of harlem, you can reach everything from here 2 mn from the subway. Harlem atmosphere is one of the best atmosphere we met in New York

  • Novice Nomad
  • 03 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • France
  • All Male Group, 25-30
  • (3 reviews)


57%

more facilities and better cleaner bathroom

  • Novice Nomad
  • 01 May 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Taiwan
  • Female, 41+
  • (2 reviews)


80%

A nice place. Rooms are very small but O.K. Staff are extreme;y helpful and nice.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 30 Apr 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Female, 41+
  • (1 review)


93%

I was in room 1014, Have stayed previously in Flushing and Greenpoint. Each has it's pros and cons, it is the Y certainly not the Plaza. You get a small room, dresser/fridge and closet. There are 3 private bathrooms on the floor, each with it's own shower/sink/toilet. You just have to time it right, use them early like when the sun comes up, or around 11 at night. The good thing, transportation, not an issue, several bus routes and trains. And since you are in Harlem, go to Sylvias.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 27 Apr 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Male, 41+
  • (2 reviews)


90%

Though the walls are very thin, bathrooms are common and rooms small, I would definitely recommend the hostel. Staff is friendly, great location, safe neighborhood, bathrooms and rooms are clean, the only thing that bothered me is that there was no Internet in the rooms and the hostel does not have a kitchen where you can cook yourself a cup of coffee.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 27 Apr 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Slovenia
  • Female, 25-30
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Dear Nives, Thank you for your valuable feedback! We are glad that you enjoyed your stay enough to recommend us to others. To address a couple of your concerns we did recently extend our free Wi-Fi up to the guest room floors and guests should already have access in the common room on each floor. We hope to strengthen the signal so that it will be accessible in all of our rooms soon. We are also working with a partner to install countertop coffee vending kiosks in our common areas. We hope you'll have another opportunity to stay with us in the future and experience these changes for yourself! Kind regards, Thalia Harlem YMCA Guest Rooms Management

63%

Only 1 bathromm with 1 shower and only 1 toilet to share for a whole floor is clearly not enough and under minimum standards. The bathroom had 2 toilets but one was without door and therefore no any privacy to use it. I was 8 days in the hostel and it was not repaired.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 26 Apr 2013
  • Anonymous
  • Spain
  • Male, 41+
  • (1 review)


73%

This is a YMCA which meant it was a lot different from the hostel environment we were used to, but that didn't matter. Th e rooms and bathrooms were very basic, but what we needed. The YMCA was very close to a subway making it very easy to get into the 'touristy' part of New York. The thing that really made this place stand out was the staff that worked there. They were incredibly friendly, polite and helpful. It made staying in New York affordable.

  • Avid Traveller
  • 24 Apr 2013
  • Anonymous
  • England
  • Couple, 25-30
  • (12 reviews)

Owner Comment (Show)
Dear Holly, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay and that our staff helped make it a pleasant one. If you have any suggestions for how we can improve the atmosphere of our guest rooms to give it more of that hostel environment you're accustomed to please do let us know! You can email us at harlemguestrooms@ymcanyc.org Kind regards, Thalia Harlem YMCA Guest Rooms Management Kind regards

83%

One of the best hostels I've ever stayed at!!!

  • Novice Nomad
  • 15 Apr 2013
  • Anonymous
  • USA
  • Female, 25-30
  • (2 reviews)


77%

Sheets were stained.

  • Novice Nomad
  • 08 Apr 2013
  • Anonymous
  • France
  • Female, 31-40
  • (1 review)

Owner Comment (Show)
Dear Sonia, Thank you for the feedback, and we sincerely apologize that you experienced that. We will redouble our efforts with our housekeeping staff to ensure that they are carefully checking the linens and discarding any that are stained. If you have any other suggestions for how we could have improved your stay, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly at harlemguestrooms@ymcanyc.org. Thank you! Thalia Harlem YMCA Guest Rooms Management

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