Macaw Guest House

About Macaw Guest House

Macaw Guest House suits travelers who want a plain, practical base in East Harlem and plan to spend their days out in the city. The address on East 101st Street puts you on a residential block, with subway service in the neighborhood and Central Park about 0.9 miles (1.5 km) away in a straight line. Couples traveling light, small families and anyone arriving late will find the setup straightforward.

Macaw Guest House is a one-star guesthouse, so expect simple rooms rather than hotel services. It is the kind of place that works for a short city trip where the room is somewhere to sleep and the neighborhood does the rest. The listed facilities include air conditioning, a garden, a terrace and a kitchen, which give a stay here a little more room to breathe than a standard budget room. Confirm arrival details with the property before you travel.

Rooms and listed facilities

Air conditioning helps in a New York summer, and the kitchen and kitchenette give couples and families the option of eating in. Family rooms and a cot are listed, so a small group can stay together. Business travelers get luggage storage, a safe and a concierge desk, and 24-hour security matters if you arrive late. Confirm the room type, the cot and the breakfast arrangement with the property when you book.

The setting

Macaw Guest House stands on East 101st Street in East Harlem, a residential part of upper Manhattan where the street grid runs east toward the Harlem River. Central Park is about 0.9 miles (1.5 km) away in a straight line, and the observation decks around Midtown are about 2.9 miles (4.7 km). Times Square is about 2.9 miles (4.6 km) and Grand Central Terminal about 2.9 miles (4.7 km), both straight-line figures. Expect a short subway ride rather than a walk for most sightseeing, and check current service before you set out.

Location and neighborhood

East Harlem sits in Upper Manhattan, north of the Upper East Side and south of the Harlem River. Fifth Avenue marks its western edge, the East River its eastern one. The street grid is regular here, so numbered streets run east to west and the avenues north to south, with Fifth Avenue dividing East from West addresses. East 116th Street is the commercial spine of El Barrio, lined with Spanish-language signs, bakeries and small shops. Murals appear on side streets and on the walls of community gardens. Macaw Guest House places you inside this everyday neighborhood rather than on its edge.

Orientation is simple once you know two numbers. The neighborhood begins at East 96th Street and runs north to the Harlem River, and Fifth Avenue gives a straight line south toward the Upper East Side and Midtown. Museum Mile runs along that avenue from roughly 82nd to 105th Street, so its upper end sits just to the south. Central Park's quieter northern section, with its pools and paths, begins at 110th Street. Subway stops along the neighborhood's spine make the rest of the city easy to reach from Macaw Guest House, and the commuter rail station at East 125th Street serves points further afield.

Getting there and around

Subways and buses cover the neighborhood around the clock, and a contactless card or phone tap pays the fare at the turnstiles; the system caps weekly spending after a set number of rides. The commuter rail station at East 125th Street, 2.9 miles (4.7 km) away, links to Grand Central and to points north. The airports sit around 14 miles (21.9 km) from the area, and each trip involves a rail or bus connection, so allow for traffic and check the route with the transit agency before leaving. Midtown is around 2.9 miles (4.6 km) south. Buses along the avenues are useful for short hops; check current service changes with the MTA.

Nearby sights and food

The neighborhood's own sights are mostly outdoors: painted walls on side streets, community gardens, and the everyday life of East 116th Street. Museum Mile stretches south along Fifth Avenue from roughly 105th Street to 82nd Street, and its upper stretch includes a museum of Latin American and Caribbean art near 104th Street. The Metropolitan Museum of Art stands on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, at the start of that run. Central Park, 843 acres between 59th and 110th Streets, is free to enter. The American Museum of Natural History is on Central Park West at 79th Street, and the Museum of Modern Art sits in Midtown.

Eating here leans on Latin American and Caribbean cooking. Taquerias, cuchifrito counters and small Dominican and Puerto Rican kitchens serve plates at lunch and into the evening. Bakeries sell pastries and coffee in the morning, and grocery stores stock produce from the Caribbean and Mexico. Food carts gather near subway entrances and along East 116th Street. Portions are generous and the mood is informal. Reservations are rarely needed. For a sit-down dinner, the Upper East Side and Midtown are a short ride south, with a wider range of cuisines.

A day from Macaw Guest House

Start early with coffee and a pastry from a bakery on East 116th Street, then walk the side streets to see the murals before the day warms up. Ride the subway south to 82nd Street and spend the late morning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; check the day's opening hours before setting out, since the galleries fill by midday. Cross the park to the American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West, or stay outdoors with a slow loop of Central Park's northern woods and pools. In the evening, head to East 125th Street for a show at the Apollo Theater, then return to Macaw Guest House on foot or by bus.

Distances

Facilities listed by the supplier

As listed by the booking supplier; a facility not listed here may still exist. Confirm anything important with the property.

• 24-hour security
• Air conditioning
• Bathroom
• Breakfast
• Carpeted
• Cleaning
• Coffee
• Concierge
• Crib
• Dishwasher
• DVD player
• Express check in
• Family rooms
• Fan
• First aid
• Free car parking
• Garden
• Hairdryer
• Iron and board
• Jacuzzi
• Kitchen
• Kitchenette
• Laundry Service
• Lounge
• Luggage storage
• Microwave
• Non smoking rooms
• Oven
• Parking
• Patio
• Picnic area
• Refrigerator
• Safe
• Security Features
• Shower
• Smoke detector
• Smoking area
• TV
• Terrace
• Toaster