The Hudson River Hotel is an honest budget proposition in a part of Manhattan where honesty about price is rare. It sits in Hell’s Kitchen on the west side of Midtown, within walking distance of the Hudson River waterfront, Penn Station, the Javits Center and the Theatre District, and its entire pitch is that address at a rate well below the Midtown norm. This is not a boutique hotel and does not claim to be; it is a clean bed in an excellent position, and it is priced accordingly.
Rooms are small and simple, as budget rooms in older Midtown buildings tend to be: a comfortable bed, a functional bathroom, a television and somewhere to put a case, in neutral, traditional decor. Solo travellers and couples on short trips manage fine; anyone with large luggage or a need to spread out will find the space tight, particularly in peak season. Guests reliably praise the hot water and the water pressure, which in this bracket counts for more than it should, and the essentials are kept clean.
Service is polite and efficient rather than personal, and there is no restaurant, concierge desk or roster of amenities to speak of, which is fair enough at the price. What you are really buying is the walk out of the front door: cafes, delis and casual restaurants on every block, the river a few minutes one way and Times Square a few minutes the other, and a subway ride to anywhere in the city. Treat it as a base to sleep and store your bags between long days out, and the Hudson River Hotel does exactly what it promises. Ask for a higher room away from the street for a quieter night.
