The ownership, management and staff have no conscience...
We spent a wonderful but quick weekend in Manhattan, primarily to see the Nutcracker at Lincoln Center (fabulous), Rockefeller Center at night (packed but beautiful) and eat our way through our favs (Carnegie Deli, Ray's Pizza, Brooklyn Diner). Our base of operations was Hotel Carter for one night. We had seen the reviews online and decided to roll the dice on this since it was a) one night, b) cheap, c) great location. Well we came up snake eyes. 
After asking for a "renovated room" we got a "sure, no problem" from the clerk. After taking our money we got our keys and headed up to Room 1024. Yikes! Mildew on the ceiling in the bathroom, a really crappy paint job, dingy carpets, no extra plugs, hastily stuffed in AC unit in the window, mostly dusty and dingy room. So much for the upgrade...
Having come off of a red eye into JFK on that morning and spent all day in town and the Nutcracker, we were so tired we didn't shower, just headed to bed. Big mistake... The next morning, no hot water... Went down to the front desk, lobby packed with people all asking the same question: when's the hot water coming back. Answer? 1 hour. That was the standard answer the staff gave anyone at 6, 7, 10, 11 am. The hot water never came back, in fact by 10 am there was no water period. We asked for a credit or refund. Need to talk to the manager, we were told. Where is he? It's his day off, we were told. REALLY? No water and the manager is out for the day? The lies continued... The front desk staff had the gall to keep checking people in. As we were checking out, I kept telling people walking up to check in that there was no water. Otherwise they never would have been told by the staff. 
This place is run by a slumlord, who milks money out of customers and delivers crap for value.
DON'T STAY HERE!!!