NYC's Pod Hotel: Little Rooms, Big City

It took all of five minutes at the Pod Hotel to see that its designer knows how to use space. The shower, desk and wash basin tucked neatly in corners. A pull-out drawer underneath the bed. Tiny hooks for jackets arranged along a wall.

At this new Midtown Manhattan property, efficiency is the mantra. The 347 diminutive guest rooms come in several smartly executed configurations. A compact rectangle with a twin bed would be fine for a solo traveler. Bunk beds (each with its own tiny television) are cool for pals on a road trip. Townhouse suites with fridges, queen-size beds and futons would be a nice fit for a small family. Guests can choose a room type and book it on the hotel's Web site or through the reservation desk.

New York hotel rooms tend to run smaller than in other American cities, and Pod rooms are on the snuggest end of the spectrum: They average 100 square feet, compared with an average U.S. hotel room size of 325 square feet (according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, a global services company).

But it's the rates -- among the most affordable in New York for lodging of this quality -- that give the Pod book-it-now appeal. Double rooms with a private bath start at $109 a night, plus taxes, and a single with a shared bath goes for $89. Prices may fluctuate according to season and demand, front desk manager Lee Schlesinger said, but he added that the Pod aims to remain cheaper than the competition. The average cost of a night's hotel room in New York was $240 in 2006, by PricewaterhouseCoopers' account.

The Pod is proof that you can be hip on a budget. The rooms are all equipped with iPod docking stations, LCD televisions and free WiFi. The bright lobby is dominated by an illuminated seafoam reception desk. The guest-room decor is an inviting mix of mod and 1950s retro styles -- dotted bedspreads, chrome bathroom fixtures and rain-style showerheads. More edgy features are planned, including self-service check-in kiosks in the lobby, a rooftop bar and an in-house blog where guests can swap travel tips.

Nonetheless, the hotel -- which lacks a bar, restaurant and comfy couches in the lobby -- is clearly better for travelers seeking a launchpad for exploring than a place to lounge around. The Pod was conceived with youthful adventurers in mind, Schlesinger said. The other guests I ran into in the lobby were part of that scene -- a 20-something office manager from North Carolina visiting Manhattan for the first time, a young couple from Spain on a shopping trip, four girlfriends from Connecticut in town for a Broadway show.

The surrounding streets also have appeal. Near the corner of 51st Street and Second Avenue, the hotel is far enough from the Times Square hoopla to be quiet but still only a 20-minute walk to Broadway theaters. The Museum of Modern Art is a few blocks away. Several cheap eats, including Pax Wholesome Foods, a chain property featuring healthy selections at affordable prices, are within a few blocks. Montparnasse, a French bistro-style restaurant next door, offers a three-course pre-theater dinner for $22.95. Venturing around the city? The Lexington Avenue subway is a couple of blocks away.

Among the downsides: Almost half the rooms have shared baths, and the walls are thin enough that you hear doors shutting down the hall. Recently transformed from the outdated Pickwick Arms, the hotel is still in a state of transition. And you can't have much of a party in the lobby.

But that's small stuff. The Pod helps make a weekend in New York a little more affordable for travelers watching their budget.

-- Gary Lee

Pod Hotel, 230 E. 51st St. between Second and Third avenues, 212-355-0300, http://www.pickwickarms.com.