This hotel is cheaper than some others in the area...

This hotel is cheaper than some others in the area, and the location is ideal - it's right at Times Square. However, that's about where the good things end.

You walk in, and it does look somewhat modern, but just... kind of empty and lacking. Whatever, at least it seems clean. I checked in, and the process just involved me giving them my credit card and license and then me receiving it back with my room keys - no explanation about amenities or WiFi or anything like that that you would normally hear when checking into a hotel. No clues about the checkout time either - I had to look that up online.

As soon as you get off the elevator onto your floor (well, at least I can speak for the 8th floor), you quickly realize why it's not $300/night. It's pretty rundown - carpets and walls are stained, and as others have said, look like they haven't been replaced since the 60s or 70s.

The room itself is just okay - I booked the Run of House type room through Expedia, and was terribly disappointed. It's only a full size bed in a TINY room (with a TINY bathroom), and through Expedia is was MORE than the cost of the Standard room (with a kind bed!) through the hotel's website (which would have also included a free to-go breakfast!).

Also, maybe I was just eager to relax in a pool, but I was disappointed to hear that the hotel did not have a swimming pool. Maybe this is the case in NYC due to space or something, but I've never been to a hotel that didn't have a swimming pool.

Take-aways: DO NOT book through Expedia - you'll pay more for a smaller room, and then if you try to argue it they'll tell you that they can only compare against the same type of room (never mind that the room they offer is smaller). And then also just note that you're going to pay for a place to sleep in a convenient location. Nothing more.