The Melva Inn Harlem

About The Melva Inn Harlem

With an official 2-star rating and an address on West 120 Street, The Melva Inn Harlem suits travelers who want a plain place to sleep in Upper Manhattan and plan to spend their days out in the city. Free Wifi and free car parking are listed by the supplier, which helps drivers arriving from the airports and anyone staying a few nights. Couples, small families and business travelers on a tight schedule can use it as a straightforward base for days spent exploring Manhattan.

The Melva Inn Harlem is a simple hotel rather than a full-service one, and the official rating is 2 stars. The booking supplier records a guest score of 2.8 out of 5 from 26 reviews, which is worth reading alongside the listed facilities before you book. Expect an uncomplicated stay in Harlem and set your plans around the city rather than around the building. Confirm the room details, the sleeping arrangements and the arrival arrangements directly with the property before you travel.

Rooms and listed facilities

The facilities listed by the supplier are free Wifi, free car parking, parking, luggage storage and wheelchair accessibility. Couples may find the parking useful for a road trip, families can ask about room layouts that suit children, and business travelers can rely on the listed Wifi for email and calls. Late arrivals should contact the property ahead of time to confirm reception hours and key collection. Ask The Melva Inn Harlem directly about accessibility needs, parking space and what the room includes before booking.

Room types at The Melva Inn Harlem are arranged by the property, so ask what a given room contains and how many people it sleeps before you commit. Travelers who need a step-free route or a particular bed arrangement should raise it at the time of booking and again on arrival. Guests driving in should confirm how a parking space is reserved, since the listed parking is limited to what the property can offer on the day. Read the supplier guest score of 2.8 out of 5 from 26 reviews as one input among several.

The setting

The Melva Inn Harlem stands at 68 West 120 Street in Harlem, in Upper Manhattan, well north of the park. Central Park is about 1.7 miles (2.8 km) away in a straight line at its nearest point to the address. John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport are each about 14 miles (23 km) in a straight line, and LaGuardia Airport is about 4.2 miles (6.8 km).

Harlem's street grid puts the address on a cross street between the avenues, with the rest of Manhattan running south toward Midtown. The Melva Inn Harlem is a 2-star property, so the setting does much of the work: you sleep uptown and travel down for museums, theaters and the Financial District. Fifth Avenue at 59th Street, the corner of Central Park, is about 3.0 miles (4.9 km) away in a straight line. Distances here are straight-line figures, and road or subway travel takes longer, so allow extra time when planning a day.

Location and neighborhood

Harlem takes up the northern part of Manhattan, a stretch of the island where the street grid meets brownstone blocks, church spires and wide avenues. For families, the appeal is space: sidewalks are broader than downtown, the pace is slower, and Central Park's northern edge is a short walk from much of the neighborhood. 125th Street is the main commercial spine, busy with shops and traffic, and the side streets running off it are quieter, lined with stoops and trees. Evenings are calm compared with midtown, and the blocks empty out early on weeknights.

Sunday mornings bring gospel services in several Harlem churches, a longstanding draw for visitors; times and the welcome for outside guests vary by congregation, so check ahead and dress respectfully. The Apollo Theater on West 125th Street anchors the neighborhood's musical history. Families staying at The Melva Inn Harlem tend to find the area easiest on foot, with playgrounds tucked between blocks and small parks off the avenues. Expect a working neighborhood rather than a museum piece: schools, churches, groceries and laundries are all part of the daily rhythm.

Getting there and around

Harlem is easy to reach on the subway, which runs 24 hours a day; tap a contactless card or phone and check service changes with the MTA before a late trip. The Melva Inn Harlem sits around 3.8 miles (6.1 km) from the area center, around 14 miles (23 km) from JFK and around 3.9 miles (6.3 km) from the main Manhattan rail stations. Road journeys vary with traffic, and driving below 60th Street carries a congestion toll. With children, allow extra time on stairs with a stroller; some stations have elevators, others do not.

Nearby sights and food

Central Park's northern end is the nearest large green space, free to enter, with paths, lawns and room for children to run. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, and the American Museum of Natural History, on Central Park West at 79th Street, both sit a straightforward ride or a long walk south, and both work well with children; check opening days and timed entry before setting out. Nearer at hand, the Apollo Theater on West 125th Street is a neighborhood landmark, and the surrounding side streets of brownstones are good for a slow walk.

Food in Harlem covers a wide range, and families can eat simply and quickly. Soul food kitchens, Caribbean counters serving roti and jerk, West African restaurants, and small bakeries with pastries and bread are spread along 125th Street and the avenues nearby. Many places are casual, with counter service and space for children; a few get busy at Sunday brunch after church. Portions tend to be generous. For picky eaters, pizza slices, delis and grocery stores cover the basics, and supermarkets on the main avenues are useful for a picnic in Central Park.

A day from The Melva Inn Harlem

A day from The Melva Inn Harlem can start early with a walk north or south to Central Park's upper paths, when the lawns are quiet and the playgrounds are still empty. Mid-morning, take the subway south to the American Museum of Natural History, where the dinosaur halls absorb a couple of hours; book timed entry in advance. Lunch nearby keeps things simple. In the afternoon, return to Harlem for the Apollo Theater's marquee on West 125th Street and a slow walk past brownstones, with a stop for ice cream. Sunday adds a gospel service, if the congregation welcomes visitors; check ahead. Finish with an early dinner, as children tire.

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.

• Free Wi-Fi
• Free car parking
• Luggage storage
• Parking
• Wheelchair accessible