Ye Olde Carlton Arms Hotel

Location & Contact:

160 E 25th St (between 3rd Ave & Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10010
212-679-0680
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Description:

If these walls could talk, theyd have some long, strange tales to tell. After its early popularity with visiting farmers, merchants, and various Prohibition-era scofflaws, the Gramercy-area hotel began a long era of decline, hitting rock bottom as a junkie-filled SRO in the seventies. To brighten the mood, employeesmany of them artistsbegan painting the walls with colorful ad hoc murals. The idea caught on, and by the mid-eighties, rooms, hallways, and the five-flight staircase were covered in eclectic paintings and mosaics. Now each of the 54 double-bed rooms is a world of its own: One artist left behind a bucolic French garden scene; another a swirling, sherbet-colored Hindu temple; another an Egyptian tomb. (A Minnesota goth band provided a trippy explosion of transgender fairy creatures.) Today, the Arms is often booked-up two months in advance, with the majority of guests coming from Europe and Asia. This despite the super-basic amenities (rooms come with towels and soap, but no phones) and shared communal areas. The artsy, laid-back staff is happy to take messages, give activity advice, and tell tales about the sites crazy history.

Check In: anytime after 11 AM
Check Out: 11:30 AM

Payment Options:

Cash, Credit

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