Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

NYC No Longer Has Filthiest Hotel in U.S., Just <em>Sixth</em> Filthiest


By

John Del Signore

Published Jan 28, 2010

Modified Jan 28, 2010


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Bathroom at the New York Inn

 


By

John Del Signore

Published Jan 28, 2010

Modified Jan 28, 2010


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

In a stunning reversal, New York City has lost its claim to the title of #1 filthiest hotel in America (based on TripAdvisor traveler reviews). Last year Hotel Carter in Times Square placed #1, with an unstoppable combination of rats, mice, horrible smells, dirty sheets, horrifying bathrooms, outlets that hang out of walls, and a dead body under a bed.

But the Carter is nowhere to be found on this year's list, and instead San Francisco has ousted us with their Heritage Marina Hotel, a cockroach-infested dump. (One visitor described arriving to his room to find "a thickness in the air that make me feel dirty... I noticed the sheets had a—well—discoloration. I stripped them off the bed, and... called downstairs and said 'Hey I'm going out, but could you please change the sheets while I'm out?"—No joke, they said, "No. We only change them in the morning.") Still, one NYC hotel managed to break the top ten, at least.

The New York Inn near Times Square rents rooms for as low as $69 a night. But you get what you pay for, in this case, drugs, rats and prostitution, according to one TripAdviser reviewer. (Someone should really make a coffee-table book out of these reviews; a lot of them are hilarious!) Here's one account:

we were greeted on our arrival by a cleaner sitting on our bed smoking and watching tv. the door to our room did not lock properly and could easily be opened by anyone applying force. every morning our bathroom was soaked as the bathroom from the room above us leaked into ours. on one of the days of our trip my boyfriend was offered heroin while we entered the hotel!!!!!!! also we were awoken one night by sex orgy going on which probably involved the prostitutes that line up outside the hotel (in front of the xxx rated porn shops located next to the hotel) if all this does not convince you to not stay here then maybe the fact that we had mice/rats in our room will help change your decision!!!!!

Also, bedbugs. And beds wet with someone's urine. But hey, at least it's a short walk to Times Square!

Tagged

best

dirty

filthy

hotel

new york inn

nyc

worst


John Del Signore

Twitter

Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Bronx man indicted for murder in fatal bodega shooting

Prosecutors say Jesus Acosta shot and killed Tayvon Shuler, then robbed the East 149th Street store last month.

By

Giulia Heyward

Published Sep 29, 2026 at 7:44 p.m. ET


Mamdani must redo his pied-à-terre tax rollout, NY judge orders

A Staten Island judge ruled against the city in a lawsuit challenging the rollout of the new tax, a day after a billionaire casino mogul sued to invalidate it.

By

David Brand

News

Mamdani must redo his pied-à-terre tax rollout, NY judge orders

A Staten Island judge ruled against the city in a lawsuit challenging the rollout of the new tax, a day after a billionaire casino mogul sued to invalidate it.

By

David Brand


NYC eyes higher fines for owners of dirty vacant lots, abandoned construction sites

By

Liam Quigley

NJ Gov. Sherrill vetoes 2 bills meant to give strapped Jersey City more revenue tools

By

Michael Sol Warren

Brooklyn residents displaced after facade falls off neighboring building amid nor'easter

By

Catalina Gonella


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .