Pan American Hotel, Elmhurst

this hotel announces free shuttle from airport but charges you $12 instead. Charges you for holding your bags in the lobby because lowered check in to 4 p.m. Room rugs are so dirty that we didn't dare to walk barefoot nor pick anything we had dropped from the floor. Rude personnel that doesn't tell you that there is coffee in the mornings in the lobby. Rooms have no coffee maker, no microwave, no fridge. Left after two days for the Best Western City View also in Queens. What a difference. Friendly people that speak english and spanish. There is a real hot breakfast with fruits included. Real free shuttle from airport and to and from the metro station. Avoid the Pan American Hotel and stay at the Best Western City View instead.

This is a low to mid range hotel in Queens. It charges accordingly. The facilities are not the best I have ever experienced but the rooms were clean, the plumbing worked and the beds were comfortable. The R train into Manhattan was about a 20 minute journey and we had no problems with this... You can get a cab to Manhattan for $30. The concierge called one for us. Also I enjoyed the are around the hotel, there's a "trendy" pool hall and bowling alley right across the road and a few good pubs nearby. I'd recommend the Grandstand Pub on Grand Av (ask the concierge for directions). Very friendly and a good mix of people, would happilly go in there on my own. If ask the concierge comes through as a theme then that is a compliment, as we dealt with three or four different guys and they were all supremely efficient and helpful. Simply it's cheap and cheerful, but for knowledgeable and helpful staff it would be hard to beat. Thanks. I'm not a Yahoo member but My Name is Alex and I am 37. This holiday was a sort of stag weekend with a mate.

The Pan American is dated but it's clean, safe and comfortable for a great price. Located in an ethnic residential neighbourhood, all the basics including subway station are within walking distance. Easy trip to Manhattan on subway. Check in was quick, and I got the quiet room I'd requested when I booked ahead. Had breakfast in hotel and waitress was great. Liked having a refrigerator in the room and in-lobby free internet access. Only minus was a very long trip in their shuttle from JFK as people were being picked up from different terminals and La Guardia too; took an hour and a bit from airport phone call to hotel arrival. Trip from hotel back to JFK was much quicker. All in all, the perfect budget choice.

After looking for quite a while we decided to give this place a try. We were happy with our decision. They picked us up from JFK within 30 minutes of arriving. Staff was extrememly helpful and nice. They told us about the city tour that left from the hotel and it was a great bargain and took 9 hours. Pops Diner,up the street, is wonderful and I recommend splitting meals. They serve a ton of food. The hotel dining room is fairly priced and had nice staff. Rooms were a little old in wall paper and paint but the furnishings were nice.Convenient to the subway and a safe neighborhood. Cabs do not run out there so we had to take a town car to the cruise terminal. A great ride and good driver. Would stay there again.

I have stayed at this hotel twice within a year, and I enjoyed my stay each time. Service isn't too bad. I flew into LaGuardia and waited over two hours for the free airport shuttle, due to only one driver, and he was down at JFK. My advice: fly into JFK. Pay $5 to take the air train up to the Sutphin Blvd Subway stop, catch the E train to Forest Hills, then catch the R or V train to Grand Ave, as the subway stops only 4 blocks away from the hotel. The front desk was very accommodating in getting us a new room when the guests next to us were being disruptive. Both stays, the room was clean and comfortable, with all things properly working in the room. Convenience is always a must for me. With the Grand Ave subway stop 4 blocks down the road, the R or V train takes you right into Manhattan within 20 minutes. The hotel is also one subway stop away from the Queens Mall, which is fantastic! I'm sure I saved plenty of cash by staying in the hotel, which is in Queens. For only $22, I had an unlimited Subway pass, which provided my transportation to Manhattan. Staying in Manhattan would have been a lot more money, so this hotel is definitely worth it!

BEDS WERE THE WORST WE HAVE EVER SLEPT ON, PILLOWS WERE TOO FLAT , ROOMS AND HALLWAYS WERE TOO DARK . COUCH IN OUR ROOM WAS DIRTY AND HARD AS A ROCK , CARPETING NEEDED TO BE SHAMPOOED

Hotel is old and deteriorating. Old carpet stinks. Room was clean, but AC did not work. Service was OK for two-stars. Restaraunt on property is OK.

We stayed at the Pan American Hotel for two nights and in a nutshell it's the cheapest way to stay in the NYC-area other than a hostel. It's no-frills but, unlike a hostel, you have your own room and bathroom. Our room had no desk but did have a small sofa and a small dorm size refridgerator. It was clean but basic. The room did get stuffy and the cool air (I hesitate to call it A/C) was somewhat weak. Our room faced the street and you could open the window but it was too noisy outside. If at all possible, ask for a room not facing Queens Blvd. We had a queen size bed and it was rather firm. There is a diner is not even a five minute walk on the way to the subway. We ate there once and it was pretty good-- reasonable, clean, and classy. There are also fast food restaurants across the street. It's about a ten minute walk down the street to the subway entrance/exit on Grand (takes you right into Manhattan). That walk to the subway did make me feel a bit uncomfortable late a night when coming back from Manhattan. It's not the prettiest neighborhood, although we did not have any trouble from anyone. Personally, I wouldn't recommend women make that walk late at night unless accompanied by a male. If you want to use a laptop to connect to the internet, I would advise signing up at the front desk for their wifi broadband. It's $7 a night but beats trying to use dialup because the hotel charges you a per call fee as well as a per minute charge-- even on local calls. They do have two free internet kiosks in the main lobby. The hotel has a restaurant/club in it but I didn't eat there. Also, the room service menu did seem very reasonable. There are vending machines in the first floor plus another soda machine on the 6th floor. The airport shuttles are great (one for LGA and one for JFK). The shuttle vans are clean and newer and all you have to do is call their 800 number once you land at the airport and tell them what airline terminal to pick you up at. Also, be sure to sign up in the lobby on the night before your departure for your return to the airport. The hotel staff was very pleasant and the maid service excellent. The room was clean but basic. The main reasons that I would recommend the Pan American Hotel are: 1. price, 2. free hotel shuttle, and 3. proximity to the subway. For the budget conscious who don't want to stay at a hotel all the way out by LaGuardia but also don't want to stay at a hostel in NYC.

We only stayed one night, but the staff was awesome, the location was adjacent to many restaurants and shopping,the room was comfortable and the hotel shuttle was very convenient. One driver has been there working 23 years which I think says much about the quality of the hotel.

The Pan American Hotel offers a great value, and very economical rooms, but this hotel brags the motto "The Most Convenient Hotel in New York", but I spent my visit wondering exactly where those conveniences were! Worn out mattresses in shabby rooms, long walks and tricky subway lines... The hotel is moderately priced, moderately clean, and is not ideal for anyone who plans on visiting Manhattan more than once during their trip! The hotel is 4 blocks from a subway station, and the E and N trains do not stop at the station at all hours. On weekends, the E train is an Express, which does not stop at the station near this hotel, making it a nightmare to get back and forth! (Cab Fare to Times Square will be about $35 one way.) There is a nightclub/lounge in the first floor of the hotel, so expect to be kept up until 3-4am unless you are on the top floor. (Even on the 4th floor, the music is plainly audible.) The amenities are not impressive, but fair for the price. For someone on a tight budget, this hotel is a good choice-- but for the tourist who really wants to enjoy the city, pick a hotel in Manhattan itself. A good deal? Yes. Convenient? Slightly. "The Most Conveniennt Hotel in NY?" No way.