La Sienna

My daughter (12) and I stayed here in June, and were very pleased. It was like being a guest in a private home. When we first arrived, a departing guest held the door open for us, and the owner ran downstairs (having seen this via one of the many hallway security cameras) to be sure we were actual guests, upset that the door had been held. *NO ONE* is allowed in this building for any reason if they aren’t a guest. While initially this exchange was a little unnerving, I appreciated the degree of concern shown by the owner for everyone’s safety.
Our room, on the top floor, had a double bed, TV, *two* closets and a small table with chairs. It was clean and nicely decorated, with more room than I would have expected. The fully-​stocked kitchen, which we shared with three other rooms, had a cabinet just for us, with two of everything (plates, etc) and plenty of room for our food. We also got a shelf in the fridge. When the second owner found out that my daughter couldn’t eat wheat, she was extremely helpful in helping us locate nearby places to buy food for her.
There was a very small bathroom on our floor (each floor had one), and a separate shower that was the size of a small closet; there was always hot water, and I never had to wait for either the bathroom or the shower. And I could always go downstairs if I’d needed to.
TIP — bring your own hair dryer. There was one we could use, but we had to return it as soon as we were done.
The day we left, we were able to store our baggage until we had to go to the airport; whatever we needed, the owners were able to help us, and one of them was always on the premises.
There was some noise from the street some nights, but that’s to be expected in most of New York City.
This was so much more affordable than all the other options we looked at, and I would return if the opportunity arose.

La Sienna is perfection! I and a friend stayed there in March 2012 when I interviewed at Columbia. It’s inexpensive, clean, well-​located, quiet, safe, and the customer service was great!
It definitely did feel like a quiet apartment building with single rooms. It did not have a hostel feel at all (at least our room and floor)
A quick walk to the 120^th st metro stop and amsterdam ave the other direction. Really perfect if you’re visiting Columbia :)
The only problem I’d say is the 3 night minimum, but that’s hardly a deal-​breaker. It’s still cheaper to stay here for 3 nights than most places for one night!
Don’t let the fact it’s in Harlem dissuade you. Harlem is a great part of the city, and a police station is only a couple blocks away if you still need some assurance.

La Sienna was the final stop of our San Francisco to New York road trip and was a fabulous end to our time in the States.
The room was very reasonable in price, especially in comparison to other hostels and hotels in NYC. Our double room was a little on the small side but as we only really used it as a base it was all we needed. We had a shared bathroom and kitchen area, all clean and fully equipped and it was a short walk from two subway stations.
My only reservation would be I didn’t feel 100% safe walking back late at night and wouldn’t advise anyone did so on their own as these streets are dark and quiet.
The owners are fantastic people — friendly, helpful and complete animal lovers just like my boyfriend and I so a percentage of what you pay goes to a nearby animal charity. We also had a lot of luggage to leave behind that we had accrued on our trip: bags, clothes, books etc. and the lady who owned the hostel told us she’d take it all down to the homeless shelter and charity shops.
Before we checked out the male owner showed us some of their bigger rooms which were more like little self-​contained apartments — they were really lovely. I think we would pay slightly more to stay in one of these if we were to return, but I also know there is a dorm on the top floor for those who are budgeting.
Thank you La Sienna — you completed our amazing USA roadtrip!

I came to New York for a few days and I needed some place to stay that wouldn’t break my broke college student budget. But I like having privacy, and I didn’t want to spend all night being woken up by drunk partiers. La Sienna is a great, affordable choice for staying in New York, with single rooms starting around $ 50/​night. The bill must be paid in cash when you check in. La Sienna is located in Harlem, a few blocks from the 125^th street subway station. For those concerned with safety I was traveling alone and found the neighborhood and the guesthouse very safe. I was in a private room with a single twin bed private, but had a shared bathroom and a shared kitchen. There are corner stores (and other shopping) close by. The building is a brownstone walkup (no elevator — be prepared for stairs) and while it is older it is clean and simple. The only downside was that the room I booked didn’t have AC and I was there when it was really hot. However I believe the owners were looking into getting AC for the rooms. All things considered this is a great find for accommodations in New York and I highly recommend it. If you’re looking at booking try going through
like I did.

My partner and I stayed at La Sienna for 5 nights. It was lovely. The hosts Yvette and Manny were gracious, to the point of finding delicious pumpkin cake in our room upon arrival. The studio was clean and having a fully equipped kitchen made it easy to breakfast at home before heading out to explore NYC. A short walk to the subway and bus stops. We never felt unsafe coming back to our Harlem guesthouse, even late at night. We highly recommend La Sienna and plan to return again.

This is an excellent choice for quality and for value.
I needed a place to stay in NYC on very short notice. I rented a studio apartment with full bathroom and kitchen.
The customer service was OUTSTANDING. The property managers were extremely accommodating. The kitchenette was fully equipped with pots, plates, glasses, silverware, a strainer, coffee, tea, apple juice, popcorn. There is a stove w/​range, and hood — important if you want to cook fish or something smelly and a ¾ sized fridge. Dish soap, paper towels and dish towels are also provided. Citarella Market is in easy walking distance and there is a Pathmark just a short bus hop away.
The bathroom was immaculate and stocked with shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion and a fresh, fluffy Hotel brand towel.
The room comes with Tivo and Dish satellite, free wifi and is beautifully decorated with antiques. Hardwood floors. Luxurious sheets on a great mattress. The full compliment of welcome to NYC stuff.
This prewar brownstone is doing some minor redecoration. The block is busy and well lit but it is a city block, there’s some noise. There’s a church nearby and some street traffic. It’s very safe. The police station is literally across the street.
There are two more bed and breakfast type places nearby, this is going to become a hot spot. At $ 80/​night and with weekly and monthly rates, a Manhattan miracle.