NYC Empire Apartments

NYC Empire Apartments Overview

Look, I’ll be honest with you – NYC Empire Apartments isn’t going to wow you with marble lobbies or doormen in fancy uniforms, but there’s something refreshingly straightforward about this three-star spot that I actually came to appreciate during my stay. It’s tucked right on West 31st Street in NoMad, which, if you know New York at all, puts you in this sweet spot between the tourist chaos of Midtown and the more residential feel of the Flatiron area. You’re literally a five-minute walk from the Empire State Building (hence the name, I assume), but here’s the thing – you’re far enough away that you’re not dealing with those massive tour groups clogging up the sidewalks at 7 AM.

The building itself has that classic New York apartment vibe, which makes sense given the name. My room felt more like I was crashing at a friend’s place than staying in a traditional hotel, and honestly, that worked for me. The kitchenette was actually functional – not just one of those sad mini-fridges with a hot plate situation. I mean, don’t expect to host Thanksgiving dinner, but you can definitely handle breakfast and simple meals, which saves you a fortune in this city. The beds were comfortable enough, though the walls are… well, let’s just say you’ll know when your neighbors are having animated phone calls. That’s pretty standard for older New York buildings, so I wasn’t shocked. What did surprise me was how quiet it got at night – I guess being on a side street instead of a major avenue really makes a difference.

Here’s what I loved most about the location: you’re a block from the subway (multiple lines, actually), Herald Square is right there when you need it, but you can also walk to some genuinely great local spots that tourists never find. There’s this little coffee place on 30th Street that became my morning routine, and honestly, the whole neighborhood has this lived-in feel that reminded me why I fell in love with New York in the first place. The front desk staff knew their stuff too – they gave me walking directions that actually made sense and pointed me toward a fantastic Thai place that I never would have discovered otherwise. Sure, it’s not luxury, and yeah, the elevator is one of those vintage numbers that makes you wonder about its last inspection, but for the price point and the location, NYC Empire Apartments delivers exactly what it promises. If you’re looking for a real New York experience without the Manhattan hotel price tag, this place gets the job done – just pack some earplugs and maybe don’t expect room service.

NYC Empire Apartments Accommodations

Reviews of NYC Empire Apartments

• Very Good – Thomas from Australia – June 27, 2025 (8/10)

  Fantastic value for it’s location and surprisingly quiet. The room was clean and exactly as described on the website. The beds and pillows were all comfortable and you never had to wait long for the elevators. Having small kitchen was a great bonus which we ended up using a lot more than we thought we would. I would happily stay here again.
  
  What could be improved: Check in/out is a little tricky as there isn’t a traditional reception area, just an office which isn’t manned 100% of the time (but a contact phone number is provided).
  
  If i’m being picky, the rooms are clean, but could do with a deep clean. All of the major areas, kitchen, shower, toilet and floors were all spotless and bedding was all fresh. There is just some dust in the sills and in some of the corners, but nothing major. Like i said, i would still happily stay here again.

• Good – Rynja from Netherlands – March 31, 2025 (8/10)

  Location is amazing. Room is simple but enough for the money. Staff wasn’t nice/ helpful.

• Great location, great staff and value for money – Hardik from Canada – March 22, 2025 (8/10)

  Location cleanliness and friendly staff was a win win.
  Plus everything being predefined in terms of what to do where to do was also great
  
  What could be improved: Facilities like washroom exhaust fan, heater had issues. Heater although was finally fixed but washroom exhaust wasn’t fixed even till our checkout. But the host was very accepting about the fact and was very open to feedback

• Family of 5 and we wanted some cheaper accommodation. One room full of beds, but it was fine. – Adrian from Australia – March 14, 2025 (8/10)

  Value for money in mid town manhattan.

• Affordable and Comfortable Apartment – Bethanie from United States – December 16, 2024 (8/10)

  Location was prime and the apartment was perfect for what we needed as a family trip. We needed the kitchenette, and also had a lot of privacy on our floor. There were no disruptions and check in and out was very easy. I would recommend this place to anyone who is traveling on a budget and wants to save some money on meals & transportation since it is equipped with cooking and dining supplies and is very close to a subway station that has access to several train lines.
  
  What could be improved: The unit was very basic, but that was not a bad thing. The only comment I would make is that they may need to upgrade some of the bedframes and TVs, as they are a little worn out and outdated.

• Great location, clean and convenient. – Margaret from Australia – November 29, 2024 (6/10)

  Great location and apartment was clean. Had nifty storage for chairs etc. Beds were comfortable. Access to laundry facilities. Good sized fridge/freezer.
  
  What could be improved: Lift did not always work. Shower was not hot.
  Some crockery was chipped.

• It was a nice place for our wknd getaway – Tiffany from United States – November 12, 2024 (7/10)

  The location of our corner room was amazing.
  
  What could be improved: I had to give $100 cash deposit and it had yet to be returned. I foresee it may be an issue of getting it back.

• Perfect location. Price reasonable. – Kylie from Australia – November 9, 2024 (8/10)

  Location was perfect. Very central to manhattan.

• Very Good – Palacká from Czech Republic – November 1, 2024 (8/10)

  Great location, nice staff

• Great room for NY – T from Australia – October 3, 2024 (8/10)

  Location and for NY was a large room and very central to everything

Surroundings