3B: The Downtown Brooklyn Bed and Breakfast

I stayed here while visiting NYC last summer and had an amazing experience. My friends and I booked the 4 bunk bed room, and it was spacious enough for us all, as well as fairly priced (there was a coupon when we booked through their website). There were 4 small safes in the room as well. Location was great, as it was right near the subway, but the area was a little bit shady at night. Staff were excellent! Super helpful, friendly and welcoming. Josh even helped us find Rihanna’s address. :P We had some great chats with our hosts. Breakfasts were amazing, made by a different person every day, and vegetarian, with a vegan option. Bathroom is shared but we never had an issue with waiting around a long time. Overall it was a really great find, and we felt right at home there. Will definitely be back next time I’m in NYC!

I am glad I made the decision to stay at 3B to explore Brooklyn! I felt at home at this place. They have got all the amenities: dryer, coffee machine, little fridge to put your food, toiletries, iron, secure locker etc.
The location is so convenient as it is close to DUMBO, Smith St, Court St, some sights (War Memorial, Museum), shopping options…
I also love the décor and the furnitures, laid back environment. Good breakfast too!!!
The staff was very friendly and helpful. I would come back for sure. There is free wi-​fi. I don’t know why I thought it would be a house, but it is located up a grocery store or some other retail shop. I highly recommend this place!!!
I stayed in the 4 bunk bed room, which was the best option for me who was travelling alone, but there is an option of a room with 2 queen/​full size bed that is huge and if you are travelling with 4 people, I think it is a great room.

My 4 night stay at the 3B made this trip to New York stand out from all the others. I’ve always stayed in the theater district of Manhattan. This time I felt like I was visiting friends rather than being a «typical tourist». What a wonderful experience to find a place that was clean, safe, affordable, and filled with interesting and accommodating people. All of the staff at 3B were friendly, helpful, and incredibly talented and creative cooks. Each morning I was greeted by a beautifully presented, freshly prepared hot breakfast and baked goodies, served with a smile. Around the table were Swiss, English and German visitors, making for lively conversations.
This was a last minute trip for me, so I felt super lucky to snag a bunk, as the private rooms were all booked. I always travel with industrial strength earplugs and an eye mask, so nothing interrupted my sleep. Other folks were very considerate. Traveling alone, I had lots of concerns about subway and night travel. The folks at 3B were full of good advice, and I had no problems whatsoever. The subway is right there!
I would most definitely stay at 3B again and I’ve been singing its praises to all my friends in Portland, Oregon. I’m in my 60’s and I would recommend this place to people of all ages who don’t mind walking up a few flights of stairs and also sharing bathroom facilities. (The place was full, but being an early riser, I never had to wait for a shower.)
A HUGE «thank you» to all the folks at 3B!

The first time I stayed here, it was with a friend, and we snagged the room with two beds for a great price on a busy summer weekend. This time, I stayed on my own in a solo queen room for eight nights. .. for an amount that would typically cover maybe three nights elsewhere in NYC (including Brooklyn). VERY affordable, yet chic, crisp and clean. It’s close to multiple subway lines and walking distance to a bunch of charming areas with independent shops and restaurants — the 3B folks will steer you.
As far as the breakfasts go, I hadn’t planned on taking advantage of this because I was on a restricted diet at the time (no gluten! no dairy!) and didn’t want to skew the menu for the rest of the guests, but as it turned out the hosts made a special item for me each morning that was delicious — sweet potato pancakes, a greek egg and tomato dish, etc. — while also offering normal breakfasts for the omnivores.
The hosts were very friendly, accessible, and helpful without hovering.
Plan ahead, as it does tend to book up (especially if you are looking to make it a long stay). A basket of foam earplugs (kept in the bathroom) may come in handy if street noise gets to you.

I loved staying at 3B, and hope to again soon. With that said, 3B is NOT for everyone. If you’re looking for an impersonal room in a nondescript hotel, where you have no human contact, pick another place. Ditto if having a bathroom attached to your room is essential. On the other hand, if walking into a mysterious place where a cheerful person tells you about their hopes and dreams, and asks about yours, this might be perfect for you, as it was for me.
As you’ve probably read, 7 «creatives» (of some sort) operate 3B. Breakfasts are to die for: e.g., freshly baked rolls every morning, along with some special egg dish. Truth be told, I felt like I’d landed in my hippie college house, only this place is sparkly clean, and there’s a comfortable common room.
My room was pleasant, although noisy because it faced the street (there’s a plentiful supply of ear plugs). There’s a 24-​hour deli on the opposite corner. I bought lunch there twice: the food’s fine and reasonably priced. 3B is located opposite a subway stop (the A, C, & F trains, for example, are simple to jump onto). I walked over the Brooklyn Bridge one day.
Most important, there’s something special about the place that touched my soul: it’s the people who operate it! The feel of the place is impossible to describe, yet I found it wonderful to experience.

3B might be a relatively new addition to the B&B game but the staff has already figured out how to outshine the competition, many of whom overcharge and under deliver. Home away from home. That’s the sentiment Matt at 3B Bed and Breakfast expressed he hoped guests felt. Judging from thank you notes left by previous and often repeat travelers, 3B’s staff has consistently delivered on creating homey experiences. See more at

I couldn’t believe the delicious filling breakfast, wonderful charming décor, super warm staff, and the other guests were a delight as well. And they can store your bike securely on the roof if you don’t want to leave it outside! I recommend this place over anywhere else, hands down.

I also wish to note that one of the staff members (not sure what his rank is in the structure is) was totally unprofessional. He was quite pushy upon me bringing my friend back to his room. My friend had a few drinks in him so I wanted to make sure he was ok and settled in before leaving I had to help him on something personal on his laptop because we were going sight seeing the following day since it would be his last night here in town. The guy barked at me to get going in not so many words. Then he said he was coming back in five minutes which in my opinion pretty much from his words GET OUT. He was the only person who acted like this in an unprofessional manner. I don’t remember his name but he’s identifiable by his facial hair he has a full beard. If you must go to this hostel be sure to avoid him or contact with him if possible. Most unfriendly dude I’ve ever met since my friend stayed there. Friendly first day and opposite afterwards. This isn’t a totally bad place to stay but I do want this hostel to get their act together on their house rules. It’s fine to have rules and guests and visitors should observe them and follow them. But like in my last post. You shouldn’t make rules known at your own convenience whenever you want to.
List of tips for the hostel:
1– have a book or sheet (s) posted with the rules on your establishment
2– run through them with guests and visitors the very first time you meet them.
3– don’t wait until someone violates your rules/​policies to say something: that’s unprofessional and makes you and your business look bad especially around professional business people who may frequent your establishment.
4– your breakfast is good in variety but needs to be expanded– my guest/​friend doesn’t eat eggs so work around that. Bearded guy picked at and insisted he try eggs. Again unprofessional and bad for business!
I recommended this place because it was close and convenient for both of us. BUT 3B I think you guys can do better than what you did while I was there. Talk to your bearded guy. Maybe he has some personal issues during my friend WES BAGGETT’s stay. But you should keep personal issues AT home not at WORK!
Sorry this rating will not go to five star anytime soon. Love the girl and the other dude don’t remember their names but you two are the nicest people there. Talk to your buddy he needs to fix himself.

I really enjoyed my experience at 3B. I stayed in the little room at the corner of the building. Everything was very clean, breakfast was a *real breakfast* — egg-​based dishes and some kind of bread-​like sweet thing every morning — great location right on a convenient subway station, incredibly friendly and warm staff.
When I come to New York, I’m often struck by the magic of the city. Not in everything — just in some small thing — and this hostel manages to capture that vibe completely. I had a really good time.
I will say that the one shower is an issue in the morning, but if you wait to shower until the evening, you’ll be fine (which is what I end up doing almost every time I stay at any hostel).
I don’t think I’ll be staying elsewhere when I come to NYC.
Also of note: you don’t have to bring sheets or a towel, but if you use a washcloth, you’ll need to bring that. There’s a small fridge to put your food but no use of kitchen facilities.

I only stay elsewhere in NYC when they’re full. True story.
Imagine if you and a few interesting people were rooming together when you had the opportunity to rent a second apartment in the same building and run it as a collectively operated B&B. That’s the short version of 3B.
The place is clean, close to the subway near a bunch of lines (and buses are convenient too — that MetroCard works on them as well) and breakfast is friendly and a great opportunity to meet interesting people.
When you arrive, the door to the building kind of blends into the surroundings, almost like you’ve found some cool secret place you’re going to store yourself while you travel. Don’t be surprised if you miss it on first pass. Buzz up to get let in and get your keys, and then enjoy the tv-​free atmosphere (there’s a communal computer with internet if you need it) or meetup with fellow travelers for an adventure (highly recommended).
One of the biggest upshots is one of the downsides — it’s near the subway and in downtown Brooklyn (take a walk to the Brooklyn Bridge in the morning — you won’t regret it), so the noise and light factor can be a thing. I personally like waking to natural light, but ear plugs aren’t a bad idea, esp. if you are in the communal room. However, with just a teensy bit of effort, it’s super comfy, convenient, and everyone is super nice.

This B&B was fine. It wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t horrible either. I do have to say that everyone at this bed and breakfast was really genuine. They set out to create a welcoming space, hip, and relatively environmentally friendly accommodation, and I feel like they tried their best to succeed. They were very friendly, and that’s always a plus. Honestly I feel bad giving them a 3 star review, w but I just don’t feel like I can honestly give it 4 stars. Maybe I will try it again and see if it improves.
Here are the negatives.
The B&B was usually freezing, even though there were heaters. I’m not sure that they did a great job of heating the whole space. I always had to be wearing a layer or two when in the building. EXCEPT for our bedroom which was cold most of the time, but every night the baseboard heaters kicked on, and since the bed was pushed right up against the heaters I would wake up completely covered with sweat, and also worried that the sheets would catch on fire. I’m pretty sure the apartment was just set on a thermostat, so when the temperature dropped below 66 – 68 (where it was set) the heaters all turned on, but I suppose someone else staying in the place might have cranked the heat before bed. It was the only time I was warm, and it was not pleasant.
The other negative was the location. It WAS right on the subway line, that was very convenient. And maybe this review is tainted by the fact that there was work happening on the metro line, which made it very difficult to get around while we were there. It is inconvenient to get to Williamsburg from this location. You literally have to take the subway back into Manhattan, and then transfer to get back to Brooklyn. It wasn’t so back getting into downtown Manhattan, probably 20 – 30 minutes from leaving the apartment to getting off the train in Soho or Chinatown, but the transit time did make it more inconvenient to go back to the B&B during the day. Just something to consider if you’re going to be doing shopping and want to drop bags off, or if you get cold and want to grab your sweater.
The rooms we were staying in (queen bed) was right on the corner of the apartment. It had bamboo blinds, but they let in a LOT of light, and we were always awoken before our alarm by the bright light, and the heavy noise outside the apartment. It’s a busy street, and there was lots of action, including people yelling at each other, even at 7am.
Because there was no concierge it was sometimes hard to find someone if you needed someone. They did tell us that there was a phone number we could call, but since we were traveling internationally, it would have been very pricey for us to do this, and there wasn’t a local phone in the apartment that we could find. There was no full length mirror in the B&B (trying to get ready for a night on the town), and we couldn’t find an iron either.
All the negatives being said, I didn’t have a horrible experience. It’s really nice to have people make you a delicious breakfast every morning. (Some version of eggs… baked eggs, or a frittata, with coffee, tea, and bread.) They were nice people. And this would be a perfect location for some people. You just have to think about what you are expecting, and what you are looking for in your accommodation. I might consider staying here in the summer when it won’t be cold (although I wonder about the air conditioning).
The price was GOOD though. They had a winter special on, and I added a facebook coupon code to it. I have to say, if you’re looking for a cheap place to stay, you may have found it. We stayed 3 nights for about $ 325.

Just home from a two-​night stay at 3B, I am absolutely looking forward to my next visit. The experience overall was just charming, as were the people we met and the B&B itself. Check-​in was easy — we just called the number posted on the front door, and were helped right away.
I stayed in one of the private rooms with a queen bed. Its two large windows let great light into the room, which was smartly decorated with fab mid-​century and bohemian nods. Everywhere you look around 3B, you find another well-​placed, artful and quirky touch.
Breakfast was great: sweet cinnamon-​y oat and nut stuffed apples, zucchini frittata, fresh whole grain bread, coffee and OJ. The conversation around the breakfast table made for more than enough reason to stick around for a second cup of joe before heading into Manhattan for the day. Which, by the way, was super convenient with the nearby subway options.

I had a great time at 3B. It is super clean and comfortable. You can see the subway station from the window! Very convenient. the breakfast always surprise me, I really enjoy it! Everyone there is very friendly and helpful! You may also meet some interesting people there! Highly recommend!

$ 140 on a thursday night, no air conditioning or fans, and only one shower in the whole place. I loved the indie vibe and the people running it seem cool. I wouldn’t complain if they charged 30% less, but I’m really glad that I only stayed here one night.
Also, be aware that they have a policy to only check messages twice a day. And they don’t answer the phone. And to check in, you have to buzz the intercom marked «3A,» because there is no intercom marked 3B and no sign. And breakfast was coffeecake. And they don’t tell you any of these things in advance.

4.75 stars.
I lucked out and caught this place during their beta-​period, where I got a sweet deal. It is super super convenient. You are literally across the street from the N and R lines, which will have you into Manhattan in just about ten minutes. Down the street you can also catch the A, C, F, 2, 3 trains and a block further you can take the G which will take you straight into Williamsburg. It is unfortunately not within walking distance of Williamsburg, and before coming I had no idea how huge Brooklyn is, so if your main reason for coming is to be close to Williamsburg/​Greenpoint, do know that it is a bit more of a trek/​journey.
The distance shouldn’t matter because this place is definitely affordably priced. I feel like it’s some kind of secret, and boo on me for sharing the secret on Unilocal.Given that the place is super affordable, I was expecting deplorable conditions, but it was actually pretty clean. It wasn’t super clean, but it was clean enough. The sheets felt new and washed, the bathrooms were perfectly adequate, even if you had to share them.
I’m sure that most other budget travelers like myself will sacrifice service at the prospect of an inexpensive place to stay, particularly one that is so adjacent to the city. I will admit that I was expecting to not like the staff as well, since their webpage kind of gives you the impression that the place is run by pretentious Brooklyn hipsters. Well, let me tell you that these people, cool though they may be, are in no way a depiction of Brooklyn’s «hipper than thou» scene. The people who staff 3B are some of the nicest people I have ever met IN THE WORLD. They were super willing to accommodate me, and I felt like I was in good hands while there. Dave and Cora were so so nice.
During this beta period, breakfast was catered. Which meant that every morning, Cora would run down to Brooklyn Fare (an excellent local market), and pick up your choice of breakfast. The coffee was top notch, and the muffins were SO good. I’m sure that in time, 3B will start making breakfast, but in the meantime, breakfast is still awesome. Late at night, if for some reason you’re hungry, there’s a pretty decent 24-​hour deli across the street.
GOING OUT AT NIGHT:
There are not very many bars around the area, and the ones that are there, are not ones I would typically want to frequent. This is fine, if you’re staying here, you’re probably from out of town, and if you’re from out of town, you probably want to go out in Manhattan, or in my case Wililiamsburg. The trains run somewhat frequently at night, so expect to do your drinking/​going out elsewhere. They do give you a key, so that you can very easily duck in and out.
NOISE:
There’s a little bit of noise due to construction (and on a sunday morning???) This is part of New York, even in Brooklyn, so be forewarned about that. This is out of 3B’s hands, so I won’t penalize them for it in my review, but do realize that this may be problematic if you can’t deal with noise.
Check-​in/​Check-​out:
Could not have been easier. Just show up, they give you your key, show you your premises. When you leave, you give them the key, and that’s that. I had to meet some friends for brunch, and even though I «checked out» at 11:00, they let me leave my luggage there until 1:00 which was super awesome.
Really love this place. Gonna hate it when it’s impossible to book because the secret’s out.

I recently had a truly excellent stay at 3B. I’ve stayed at my share of B&B’s, and one of the issues is always… are your hosts going to be weird or make things uncomfortable in any way? Here, though, the amazing hosts were like the fabulous company at the dinner party of your dreams (well, you know, since John Lennon is unavailable).
Such an incredible group of people here, all with amazing stories, incredible kindness, and most importantly, attention to all of the details that make a stay both comfortable and incredibly enjoyable. The rooms are gorgeous, and all quirkily decorated with their own unique style. Bathrooms were spotless, too.
Bottom line: 3B is in a perfect convenient location, the price is right, and the experience was memorable, fun, and truly relaxing. This is soon to be Brooklyn’s best-​kept secret no longer!

We stayed here for a wedding in Dumbo, and it was the best decision we could have made for our trip. We were literally across the street from the subway, and not far at all from anything and everything we could possibly need.
Besides stellar accessibility, everyone at the B&B was amazing. Literally, the kindest and coolest people you can hope to meet. It felt like we were all old friends, but I also felt like I really had my own space and a lot of privacy. They took really good care of us, made sure we had everything we needed, and were always around to answer any questions or offer any help. The rooms themselves are comfy and open with these gorgeous hardwood floors and lots of natural light. (Having lived in New York before, I can also vouch for the fact you have pleeeenty of space.)
I would, without a doubt, come back the next time I’m in New York. I really appreciated feeling comfortable while traveling, but also getting a really uniquely personal view of the city from the people who actually live there. Thank you guys so much for such a lovely weekend in Brooklyn!