Valentine Rentals at 175th St

Rough area but nice apartment

The area around the hotel is rough but only seconds away from the subway. We were a group of two women and three children and did not feel safe to go out in that area at night. Apartment was clean and comfortable. The T.V. broke down a few times which was frustrating as we enjoyed the American channels and liked to chill after a days sight seeing and shopping. A blow up bed was supplied but we could not get it to work but we managed with the sofa beds. Towels and bedding were supplied. A few basics in the kitchen would have been nice, salt, pepper, oil,etc. It is vital that you contact Valentines when you arrive at JFK as there is no front desk and the rep will meet you there. The apartment block has an awning over the front door saying ’The Hudson’. There are three flights of stairs and no lift. A telephone is supplied for free local calls. If you ring out for takeaway food it can cause problems if you do not know the telephone number as we did not - so try to get it from the rep. We had a great time and would recommend Valentine’s Rentals.

Get a weekly metrocard - you can buy from machine in subway. You need to know your zip code. Takeaway Chinese food is very cheap and massive portions.

A Great Comfort for Small Family

We were taking our daughter for college entrance and the location to Fordham University was close and convenient. The little apartment was quite spacious for the three of us and with local grocery stores, the farmer’s market, we enjoyed meals at our home away from home. We’ll be coming back again in May when it’s time to take her home for the summer. A good place, although 3 flights up and no elevator, it was good to get back there at the end of the day.

The subway is a half a block away, and a bus line 2 blocks in the other direction. Get the 7 day pass for the subway, even if you’re there for a only a few days, it’s really worth it.

Convenient Location

The apartment we stayed in was the perfect size to fit two people comfortably. There were two twin sofa beds in the living room and a full size bed in the bedroom. The kitchen was equipped with cooking and eating utensils, pots, and pans. I especially enojoyed the fact that the subway station was only 20 steps away. As for some of the negatives, the location was far from Midtown and SoHo(which was where we spent most of our time), the water pressure from the shower was weak, and the neighborhood was very loud and active during the weeknights (we were greeted by a large group of men playing loud music from their cars and drinking in front of the building when we arrived our first night). It was scary for two females to encounter that scene so late at night, but we were left alone. Just remember, you are in Spanish Harlem. All in all, it was a cool experience and we definitely saved money by staying here rather than a tiny hotel in Midtown.

Traveller's tip on saving a few bucks

If you plan on riding the subway and bus, definitely think about getting the 7-day metrocard pass ($27) or the unlimited day pass (about $8.25).