Carlton Arms Hotel

The brawny brick-clad, five-story hotel erected at the turn-of-the century was once a speakeasy, a hotel for welfare recipients, and a sleazy hang-out for drag queens, prostitutes, and drug addicts before becoming an ongoing art project during the 1980s. Today it is a popular spot for budget-conscious travelers, free spirits, and artists.A nondescript peach-colored gate next to a Chinese restaurant serves as the entry. (You must ring a buzzer to get in.) Once inside, it hits you — an assault of artwork that covers nearly every inch of space from floor to ceiling in a swirl of color. There’s no porter or elevator to help get your luggage up the steep stairs to the lobby, but a sign instructs guests to deliver the resident cats back up the stairs if found lingering by the door.The tiny, trinket-filled second-floor lobby and adjacent sitting room, which holds a sofa and desk, do not offer much room for gathering, but it is not unusual to see guests lingering on fire escapes or wandering the halls to observe the artwork. Each floor represents a different scene created by resident artists and former hotel employees.

The hotel’s location, adjacent to the towers of Baruch College, benefits from being on a pedestrian-only block of East 25th Street, a courtyard-like atmosphere where college students gather around cafe tables over books and lunch. Part of the hotel also fronts Third Avenue, a much noisier, bustling thoroughfare with Irish pubs, restaurants, and thrift shops. The greener environs of Gramercy Park, Madison Square Park, and Union Square Park are all within a 10-minute walk. The 4 and 6 Subway lines, which run along Manhattan's east side from the Bronx to Brooklyn, are three blocks away.- 6-minute walk to the 4 and 6 subway lines at 23rd Street

• 6-minute walk to Madison Square Park and Gramercy Park
• 11-minute walk to Union Square
• 15-minute walk to the Empire State Building
• 20-minute walk or 10-minute subway ride to Grand Central Station
• 25-minute walk or 10-minute cab ride to Pennsylvania Station
• 30-minute drive, or 80-minute subway ride to JFK Airport
• 20-minute drive, or 60-minute subway ride to LaGuardia Airport

Ethereal, macabre, and abstract are all accurate descriptions for the rooms at the Carlton Arms. With each of the 54 spaces designed by a different artist, it's best to check out a few rooms before checking in. Murals range from saturated garden scenes by Jean Michel Verret and Dominique Lagneaux to nude femme figurines by Andrea Clinton that appear to be floating on pale lavender walls. Even Banksy, the famous graffiti artist, is represented here. He created a room and hallway scenes for the hotel in 1999.Artwork aside, the rooms are simple and more akin to hostel accommodations. The hotel classifies its rooms into two groups — those with private baths and those without. Rooms with shared bathrooms have sinks and access to separate toilet and a shower rooms, located along the hallways on every floor. Single rooms hold one twin bed while larger rooms are equipped with two singles or one or two double beds.Neat freaks will not feel comfortable at the Carlton Arms as the rooms show visible signs of wear and in some instances appear dirty — water stains on the ceilings of bathrooms, grime around the door knobs, worn carpets, missing light bulbs, creaky beds, and sputtering window air conditioners.

The Carlton Arms is the opposite of branded budget hotels. It lacks traditional services such as a gym and business center and amenities such as coffeemakers, toiletries, and robes. What it does offer is thought-provoking artwork, a communal bohemian vibe, affordable rates, and an ideal location that’s close to the subway and many of central Manhattan’s desirable neighborhoods.