The Harlem Flophouse
A quiet Harlem guesthouse away from the crowds
About this hotel
The Harlem Flophouse is a budget two-star property in Harlem, rated 9.1 out of 10 by recent guests. It is a small private-residence guesthouse in Harlem with shared bathrooms, which shapes the character of the stay more than any single amenity does. For a DreamWorks Water Park trip, this is honestly a New York City base rather than an on-site stay: American Dream and the Meadowlands sit across the Hudson, reached from here by NJ Transit bus, subway plus PATH, or a drive through the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel. Families traveling with toddlers or teens will find the neighbourhood itself does real work either side of the water park day, with restaurants, transit connections, and city sightseeing all close enough to fill a full day without ever touching a taxi. On balance, the private-residence, shared-bathroom guesthouse format is the single fact that separates this from every other hotel on this list, for better or worse depending on what a family wants.
- Harlem setting
- Guesthouse character
- Garden views
Our take
This suits a couple or a parent traveling with one older child who wants a genuinely different, quieter New York neighbourhood, and is comfortable with a shared bathroom. It does not suit a larger family needing multiple private rooms or the fastest transit link toward the Meadowlands. Book it for the neighbourhood itself rather than for any meaningful edge in travel time toward East Rutherford, since the difference against other addresses here is modest.
- ✓Confirm the shared bathroom arrangement suits your family before booking, since the guesthouse format is unusual for this list.
- ✓Plan your transit route toward East Rutherford well in advance, since Harlem sits furthest from Port Authority on this list.
- ✓Book ahead regardless of season, since the room count here is genuinely small.
Why we love it
- Genuine Harlem private-residence setting
- Free WiFi and lounge
- Garden views from rooms
- A quieter, less touristy base
Why guests love itI would choose The Harlem Flophouse for a couple or a parent with one older child who wants a quieter, more residential New York neighbourhood and accepts a shared bathroom. It is a small private-residence guesthouse in Harlem, with free WiFi, a lounge and garden views from the rooms. It is a New York base rather than an on-site stay, since the park is across the Hudson. Guests rate it 9.1 out of 10.