by Marco Fiori

Created on: September 07, 2009

Located at the gate to Chinatown, Hotel Astoria is everything you want from a cheap hotel. It's basic, but definitely fits in the cheap and cheerful category of hotels. We stayed there for six nights and were satisfied with what the Astoria had to offer. We'd opted for the slightly more expensive on-suite room and it's highly recommended that anyone thinking of staying there do the same. The inside dcor wasn't tip-top so walking from a shared bathroom to your room would be an unpleasant experience.

The in-room facilities were the worst we had of the holiday, but it was our cheapest stay. You get a TV, a safe, (ours was broken), decently sized bed, and bedside cabinet. In the bathroom were a shower, (with a head at an uncomfortably low angle), sink and toilet. It's the bare essentials, but everything was kept clean and we didn't spend much time in the room as it was.

The lobby was tiny, and the staff took their time getting off the phone to service us on the day we checked in, but overall they did the job they were supposed to. There was a free continental breakfast included in the price, but we didn't get the chance to try it. Safety wise, the hotel has traditional key locks and nothing was done to help us with our broken safe. It could have been better, but we didn't have any incidents due to someone being on the front desk 24/7.

The best thing about Hotel Astoria was its location. Next to Chinatown, it meant that it was basically smack in the middle of downtown. On the corner of Bush / Grant, it was a five minute walk to Union Square, a fifteen minute walk to Pier 39 and had ample bus links nearby. It's also very close to the Greyhound coach garage allowing you to get to inter-city transport painlessly. We were unaware of any parking, but we weren't driving when we were there. Even if you are, there's a parking garage with reasonable rates opposite the hotel.

If you are searching for a hotel that gives you a roof over your head, without the intrusive nature of a hostel, then feel free to stay at the Astoria. If you are expecting three star comforts, you'll be in for a big shock. Inoffensive - it's the perfect hotel for backpackers who want a little more privacy.

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