I’ve been visiting New York on a regular basis for over 20 years, and I continue to search for the perfect hotel. There are a lot of incredible places to stay in the city, and over the years I have sampled most of them. My criteria…
- I typically work in midtown, so I want easy access to that area.
- I want enough room to move around.
- I want a great fluffy bed with very soft sheets, a spacious bathroom with a good shower and amenities, and a good quality flat screen television.
- I tend to favor modern over historic and smelly.
- I want easy access to the hotel without fighting “Times Square” crowds.
- Great guest services.
- I want 24hr room service.
- I want a nice gym.
- Bathrobes in the room.
- I want easy access to neighborhood restaurants.
- I want a hotel with personality.
- While I don’t expect bargain basement prices, I look for a good value.
And a few extras that are appreciated but not a mandate…
- An iPod charger / stereo in the room.
- A DVD player.
- Smaller is better.
- A good frequent stayer program is appreciated.
- An onsite spa is a plus.
With the above in mind, here are a few hotels I particularly like:
The London NYC – http://www.thelondonnyc.com/. This is the old Rhiga hotel on 54th. It was rehabbed a couple years ago, and now is one of my favorites. If it is within $20 a night of any of my listings, I would choose it first. Modern fresh rooms, very large by NY standards, close to Central Park. They fullfill all the above, including the extras, and they have a world-class Gordon Ramsey restaurant in the lobby. One silly little extra I like – they shine your shoes overnight. The corner rooms that look over the park are really nice. If you have the nasty cigar habit – there is a cigar bar across the street. They also have a great property in Hollywood.
W Tuscany – www.whotels.com. . I am a big fan of the W chain. They practically defined my preference list above. There are several W’s in NY – but my favorite is one of the smaller properties, the Tuscany. It is an older hotel that has been rehabbed – but they did a nice job, and unlike some of the other W’s it has a very intimate feel and is easy to get in and out of. It is on 39th street in a quieter neighborhood. If you want to stay up late and party, and be in the center of it all I would opt for the W New York (their suites are an expecially good deal) – but for a smaller easy-to-naviagate property this is the one.
The Muse – http://www.kimptonhotels.com/hotels/hotels-newyorkcity.aspx . The Muse is part of another really terrific chain, The Kimpton Hotels. The San Francisco-based chain specializes in rehabbing old properties. Every hotel is a little different, but they all achieve all my above mandates with a lot of personality. The Muse is on 46th Street in a busier neighborhood that is a great choice if you are going to the theatre. Nice rooms, a good restaurant on-site, and one of the Kimpton special touches – a free nightly wine service to guests.
All the above are good mid-priced options for mid-town. Currently NY is a bargain – with rooms at any of these hotels for around $260 a night – though that changes daily.