The Jane Hotel

If you ever find yourself in New York City and want to try something a little different from high rise chain hotels in mid-town, a boutique hotel on the Upper West side or any of the tony Central Park bastions of luxury and wallet draining venues, make a reservation at The Jane Hotel in the West Village below the 14th St and 8th Ave subway and adjacent to the West Side Highway. It's quirky, fun, exotic and special all for $99 a night plus tax.

Here are the negatives:

The $99 rooms do not have bathrooms; you have to walk down the hall to share a uni-sex open sink but closed shower and closed WC facility.

But

I only encountered two other people in the shared bathroom during my stay. And the showers were large with rain-shower style sprays and high quality soaps, shampoos, and conditioners. Everything was sparkling clean from the white porcelain sinks to the old style black and white tiled floor.

The air conditioner is noisy and the window is tiny.

But

You can control the air conditioner via remote control while in bed. And who needs a window when all you are going to do is get a good night's sleep, not camp out there when you can be having NYC fun.

The rooms are tiny. If I stretched out my arms side to side, I could touch both walls.

But

There is everything you could want in this small space: a very comfortable bed and I must say I'm picky about my mattress; a cubby for your suitcase and drawers for your drawers; a flat screen television with remote; a huge white fluffy towel and wash cloth; a white waffle-weave robe with matching scuff slippers and a bolstered wall for sitting up in bed to read.

You see The Jane has a long, colorful history. According to the booklet in the room, it once served as a hotel for the survivors of The Titanic, a hospital for Ellis Island and the military, a YWCA. Now it's a cheap sleep with 24-hour room service and free internet. Off to the left of the lobby is a chic cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner anytime you want it. The selections are fresh, hip, and tasty. To the right is a dark paneled bar reminiscent of the speak easy of The Godfather films. Beyond the bar is the "ballroom," a lushly appointed lounge filled with velvet overstuffed couches, tapestry area rugs, fringe, chaises, and exotic lamps.

When I entered the room, the first thing I imagined was renting it as a party venue where everyone could dress as gangsters and molls.  I would hire actors to play parts in a mystery theater game.

The Jane is the perfect place to spark one's imagination.

The desk personnel, elevator operator (yes!), and concierge are all dressed in maroon bell boy outfits trimmed in navy and gold braid. They all sport round pillbox hats to complete the look. The magnetized metal key on a giant keyring and a long bar you must insert into an outlet to start your electricity are impossible to lose in your purse. It weighs about about as much as a 12 oz. bottle of soda.

The Jane isn't plain but plain fun. And if your room causes you to become claustrophobic, hop on one of the bicycles parked out front, take to the adjacent bike trail and ride Sally ride while you suck in car exhaust from the vehicles on the West Side highway just beyond.

Sorry I don't have any photos. I thought I had one more night there but had slipped up on my booking. Alas I was again tossed from my room only to land in Brooklyn where I am couch surfing at Ruth and Kyle's apartment.

Anyway here are informative web sites.

http://nymag.com/listings/bar/jane-ballroom/

http://www.thejanenyc.com