Four of us stayed in the Grand Union recently for four nights.Our requests were honoured in that we asked for a high floor and adjacent rooms.The hotel is in a great location,very central to all the sights and the shops.There is a subway nearby.
The staff were reasonably helpful.The room was adequate size for the amount of time we spent in it which was very little.It was a base to sleep, shower and change and dump vast amounts of shopping.
It was very clean and comfortable and surprisingly quieter than I imagined for New York.The linen was changed every day.When we asked for extra pillows and lighbulbs changed it was done the same day.
It was reasonably priced.We would all certainly return to the Grand Union and recommend it as a base for shopping and sightseeing.

We love New York. I was disappointed when we could not get reservations at the Super 8 on 46th Street for Veterans Day weekend and had to look for another location. The Boston Globe had an advertisement for Riverside Hotel and Suites, but after reading the reviews on Trip Advisor, we decided to keep looking. Based on the reviews in this forum, we chose the Hotel Grand Union for our seventh visit to New York this year. (we only live three hours away by car)

From check in to check out, everything was great. Since we are a family of four, the quad was the way to go. My daughters were quite happy they did not have to share a bed. We were able to check in @ 11:30 am and left the car in a parking garage on the next block for $ 20.00 per night. The room was recently updated with a marble bath and nice comforters. It even had a small refrigerator!

For meals in the neighborhood, we ate at the Barking Dog, Notaro, Captains Cafe, the Murray Hill Diner and New York Kom Tang. We were pleased with all of these establishments and would like to thank everyone who made recommendations.

In the past we have stayed at the Marriott Marquis, the Sheraton Midtown Manhattan and the Super 8. Since so little time is spent in the room, I prefer the less expensive options. I really enjoyed the Murray Hill area neighborhood and will certainly go back again.

No matter what your financial resources NYC can sometimes manage to raise an eyebrow with a particularly outrageous price of some thing or another.

Then again, if you are really savvy (or lucky) you can find real bargains and real value for many things here.

In the case of hotel lodging, value is always relative to the market you're in. The Grand Union Hotel is a great value for the NYC market. My wife and I were there for 3 days on a buying trip in the garment district. Having stayed in several other hotels in the City at much higher prices and with low quality, I was searching through TripAdvisor looking for a better deal. We could have played it safe and booked at one of the well known chains or boutique hotels but what fun is that! -and unless you find a special rate their price/quality ratio is always low.

Anyway, after reading the mostly favorable reviews for the Grand Union I decided to take a chance.

The hotel is mostly as described. It is in a good location for touring the city(for us that is near the Garment District). The Statue of Liberty, Time Square, Macy's are all within walking distance. The room was clean and of decent size. There is a diner attached to the Lobby but they closed early (around 8pm I think) but there are plenty of other choices in the area.

One problem that has been mentioned and we can confirm is the temperature regulation of the shower. Taking a shower is an adventure. The water runs from scalding hot to ice cold in a matter of seconds. Come to think of it I do recall a Spa treatment that calls for emersion in hot pools followed by cold ones so maybe this is an amenity. A minor complaint is the towels. They are very threadbear -from being washed a few times too many I suppose. Also, we were in a room on the street side. I thought that we were high enough (on the 6th floor) that the street noises would not be an issue. Wrong! If you are a light sleeper you will definately want to request a room away from the street or be prepared to be serenaded by garbage pickups at 3:30am

If it is romantic ambiance you seek, or boutique hipsterness, then this hotel will not appeal but if you need a clean, comfortable room from with to launch your explorations of this amazing city then this hotel will fit the bill.

My wife and I stayed in the Hotel Grand Union in October 2005 and found it to be perfect for our needs - a place to stay in between shopping, eating, drinking and sightseeing. We were a bit dubious when we saw that it was so reasonable in price for the location, but we were soon proved wrong - the hotel is clean, the staff friendly and the location perfect. 3 blocks from the Empire State, a few more to Macy's and a subway station on the corner of the block - what more do you need in NYC!!! Not too far from Penn station either - ideal for those of you flying in to Newark - just get the train to Penn station and it's only a few blocks walk (4 I think) to the hotel.

The diner next door - Captain's - was fine with friendly staff and reasonable prices for breakfast.

The rooms were basic enough - bed, TV (with cable and HBO), ensuite bathroom and air conditioning. The maid service was excellent - beds made every day, towels changed (you may neeed to ask for extra towels) and bathroom cleaned daily too. The lift was a bit slow, but you can use the stairs if you're in a hurry!

If you're in town for shopping and don't want to spend all your money on accommodation, this is the place for you. It's not the Plaza, but it is well worth trying. I would definitely go back again and will recommend it to friends.