Dharma Home Suites Hoboken Novia

Updated May 2022 Review: Much improved experience this time around. We'll be back.

Original November 2021 Review: We've been huge Dharma Novia fans from its beginning. Our first stay was actually before they finished the roof-top patio, so we're OG! Since then, we've stayed at this property each time we visit our daughter who lives nearby in Hoboken. My wife and I even got a room for my parents a few years ago when they wanted to visit NYC with us. We've never been disappointed.

Until now.

Let's just say that our current unit is definitely "rough around the edges" and showing a lack of maintenance and care. Some of the living room furniture looks like it would be more appropriate in a college apartment than an upscale (read: expensive) condo-type unit. It looks as if Dharma is also marketing this property on airbnb so it may be getting "harder use" with more frequent turnover than it has in years past. Among the telltale signs of a lack of care by management was a missing battery cover on the automatic lock on the entry door, dirty bathroom ventilation fans, dirty HVAC grilles and diffusers (and I suspect the air filter is likewise), inoperable water dispenser on the refrigerator door, dubious-looking extra linens and a closet door handle that came off in my wife's hand when she attempted to open the door! Another head-scratcher are the black scuff marks on the walls - especially in the bedrooms. These could be easily removed by housekeeping with the use of a magic eraser and would go a long way in improving the worn-out appearance of the entire unit.

EDIT TO ADD: A couple of days further into our stay, I noticed that there was water on the floor in front of the kitchen sink. At first, I thought I may have carelessly splashed water, but upon further inspection, it became clear that the source of the water was from a supply-side plumbing leak! From the appearance of the inside of the cabinet, the leak did not develop recently. How this could have gone unreported by previous guests or by housekeeping is a mystery. Because we didn't feel comfortable with the possibility of maintenance staff entering the unit in our absence, the leak remained unreported until the day before our departure. Meanwhile, I placed a pot underneath the leak to prevent any more water from collecting on the floor. For this newest "surprise" I changed my rating from 3/5 to 2/5. The Dharma Novia property problems cannot be entirely explained away by supply chain challenges. This is cultural.

Look, it's not all bad. Overall, the unit appeared clean. We love the space Dharma Novia provides for us - so much better than a hotel room could ever offer. The kitchen is a real plus for us, too. The property is in a terrific location offering guests a good walkability to all sorts of Hoboken eateries and shopping, as well as easy access to the Port Authority, 14th Street Ferry to Midtown and the PATH train to Manhattan. These are terrific built-in amenities.

Hopefully, management will refresh the furnishings soon. The maintenance and housekeeping both need to be plussed-up, too. It's not a bad property, it's just suffering from a lack of "love and attention". Before we visit again, we'll be sure to ask if the units have undergone any improvements and updates since our most recent visit. Here's hoping...

UPDATE: December 4, 2021 - My wife was contacted by email by Dharma management several weeks ago and was offered, unsolicited, a remedy to partially offset our less-than-optimal experience. Today we received this remedy in the form of a partial refund to our credit card. It wasn't a whole lot, but it is very much appreciated - especially since it was initiated completely by the management at Dharma. This was clearly the best lodging option in Hoboken and management can return the Novi property to its previous prominence by reinstating the high quality furniture, housekeeping and maintenance we became accustomed to enjoying during our many previous visits to Hoboken.

Update: there will be a full refund and I've changed the star rating from 3 to 4. It could have been a 5 if they refunded sooner.

The jury is still out on this one. Like the other family that received a $4000 voucher, we have a $1650 voucher which is non-cancellable and non-amendable. I'm in the travel industry myself, we have fully refunded all of our clients (or give them a voucher with 10% extra credit). It was a big surprise that Dharma did not and that it puts such strict rules on the voucher. In Covid times, we have a hard time getting to the US from the EU due to changing restrictions, which means you have to book flights on very short notice. (expensive) Then you have to hope that Dharma is available. If you book ahead, you run the risk that you can't fly (airline would give a voucher) and loose the Dharma credit. On top of this, the voucher expires June 2022.

I wish they'd just let travelers chose whether to be refunded, or give them full flexibility with the voucher (CXL, amendable and no expiry date). Small price to pay, if you already cashed the money, right?

I was displaced from my home and stayed in the Dharma Suites while the work was completed. I can’t rave enough about my stay. The space was immaculately clean, with modern appliances and an easy check-in process. The location is in a quiet neighborhood, close to all local transportation and made being away from home during a difficult time much easier. I highly recommend.