Untitled at 3 Freeman makes New York's LES so much more accessible (and affordable)

Staying anywhere in Manhattan will break the bank. I don’t care whether it’s a budget hotel, a mid-range or a luxury stay. If you want to stay even one night in Manhattan, you’ll need a hefty savings account.

Blame the cost of living, of course. Visiting New York City is prohibitively expensive right now, but if you want to do then you’ve got to do it right. And you can do it right.

A lot of this comes down the accommodation. Where you choose to stay will decide your entire trip. Airbnb’s are illegal in Manhattan, so that options out. Choose your favourite area, and look for some high-value hotel that suits your budget.

If Lower East Side is your vibe, you’ve got a few choices in front of you. The newest: UNTITLED at 3 Freeman, a remarkably clever hotel that’s taking on a new concept and keeping the price point fairly reasonable.

Location

(Photo supplied by UNTITLED at 3 Freeman)

UNTITLED at 3 Freeman sells itself with its location. Tucked away in a graffiti-lined alleyway just off Rivington Street, the hotel fashions itself as a creative boutique with a few ideas borrowed from upscale hostels. The result is an exceptionally valuable play for anyone visiting the Lower East Side who wants to keep things low-key and budget-friendly without sacrificing on comfort.

The owners must have been counting their lucky stars when they scored the location. Guests are on the border of Lower East Side and Nolita, which means SOHO is just a few blocks away, as well as Bowery Street, Spring Street, and the arterial E Houston (which, for first timers, is where Katz Deli is).

A hotel just around the corner from Katz Deli? Yeah, you bet the tourists will be swarming in no time.

The Lower East Side is still one of Manhattan’s greatest plays. For bars, you’ve got prime options like Superbueno, Attaboy and Double Chicken Please. All three have made numerous “best of” lists the world over, so if you’ve only got time to charge through three, these are your best bets.

Then you’ve got many historic taverns around the area, the immortal Katz Deli as well as the bagel-haven of Russ & Daughters. The nearby Tenement Museum is also a must, and then you’ve got the chic shopping strips and exclusive boutiques of SOHO.

You’re just a stone’s throw from Nolita as well, so make the most of it and check out all the shopping, bars and restaurants there.

You could conceivably stay in this small pocket of Manhattan and still have the quintessential New York experience.

You also will want to check out Nolita Pizza (it’s one of the few pizza-by-the-slice joints in the area that’s a cut above the rest – don’t go to Joe’s, unless you go to the OG location on Carmine Street.

You might be tempted to check out the hype of Prince St Pizza nearby. It’s good, just not excellent. I recommend you do this: have a big night out, grab a box from Nolita pizza, and take it back to UNTITLED. If you’ve got a balcony, you’ve got dinner and a show to cap a great night in New York City.

Rooms

For me, the 200-room hotel falls in the same category as Marriott International’s Moxy brand, which has several locations across New York City and has been one of the world’s fastest growing hotel brands for the past few years.

That’s because of UNTITLED’s smart modular room designs, maximising what is otherwise quite a small space with pop-out pegs, nooks, crannies, and a deconstructed bathroom.

It doesn’t take long to get used to it. The customisation is obviously geared towards longer-term stays, and there’s enough detail to let you design your space however you want.

Some of the rooms come with a balcony offering a nice little perspective of downtown Manhattan. And while the balconies aren’t the biggest, they are at least generous enough to comfortable fit 2-3 people.

There are water refill stations on each level, but that’s the only thing that’s shared. While you might get some hostel vibes from the way to spaces are set-up, there’s a great deal of privacy and is a turn-down service available if you need.

Downside? Cost cutting comes for the bathroom products. They bottles are hard to decompress and the shower takes an inordinately long time to heat up. Once it does, though, it’s just like any other decent hotel shower.

Note that there are numerous categories and rooms come in all shapes and sizes.

Food & Drink

A casual cafe sits just beyond the small reception area, checkered and looking like a movie set from a dusty old silent-era film. Such an aesthetic is hard to get right, and is unlike a lot of other spots in New York City. Especially a hotel cafe. This gives it a great atmosphere to just sit and shoot off some e-mails, or grab a coffee and plan the day. There’s also a grand piano in the far corner, although during my four nights I never saw anyone using it.

One of the most interesting features of the cafe is a series of glass cabinets, varying in shapes and size and all containing tools for creativity. I guess this speaks to the wide range of people choosing to stay here, who mostly seem like content creators, old-school creatives, tech workers and just people who want to soak up to the hipster lifestyle the hotel obviously plays into.

As for the tools: podcast mics, beatmaking equipment, polaroid cameras, DSLRs. Everything is available to rent for guests, giving everyone a great deal of choice for how they want to experience their stay, and New York City in general. It’s an incredibly smart idea for those staying a bit longer than a few nights.

Every hotel needs a rooftop bar as well, and UNLISTED is a great addition at the property’s peak. Much like the hotel itself, it’s not showy and decidedly low-key, keeping things cosy and affordable with a decent by-the-glass wine list and some great snacky plates.

But does a hotel this well-located really need any food and drink options at all? You’ve got the best of L.E.S, Soho and Nolita at your doorstep. Go for gold.

Amenities

The property doesn’t really bother with traditional hotel amenities. You won’t find a gym (walking in NYC is exercise enough) or a spa. You will, however, find a hidden tattoo studio. I didn’t use it myself, but the fact that it exists speaks to what UNTITLED is trying to do here.

There’s something super admirable about a boutique property that goes its own way, especially in a city as demanding as New York. While I didn’t make use of the tattoo studio myself, the buzzy, neon-lit glow looked welcoming and felt very premium.

Around the corner from reception stands several shelves lined with all kinds of snacks. And opposite that, a trio of tablets so guests can make use of ChatGPT to find any quick suggestions. It’s a nice attempt at adding AI to the hotel experience but I didn’t see anyone using it on my stay. I guess it’s just nice to know that it’s there in case anyone needs some quick tips on how to get around.

Service

Aforementioned ChatGPT would be useful because reception isn’t the most responsive bunch. Check in and check out times are strictly adhered too, and I would imagine it’s because there aren’t much cleaning staff (that I could see). That’s no issue, really, but it was frustrating when I was told to wait until my room was ready and I would be informed. I wasn’t informed. I have to kept checking back.

Teething issues, perhaps. Or put it down to a small team that’s stretched super thin. Regardless, it’s one of the only downsides that I experienced during my time at UNTITLED.

Value

While the hotel is pitched as an affordable alternative to big-ticket luxury stays, you’re still in New York. Affordable in New York means expensive pretty much everywhere else. Especially for anyone facing ridiculous exchange rates (like Australian visitors right now).

You’re looking at an average lead-in rate of $324 a night. Not bad, not the best. But for a location like this, it’s perfectly reasonable. If you want to choose a hostel, you’ll probably save around $80-$100. And I’d say the quality, privacy, and location you get at UNTITLED is worth far more than an extra $100. That’s a great value proposition for next time you’re heading over to New York City and staying more than 1-2 nights.

FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)