OverviewThis property is situated within a 1-minute walk of public transit access at Penn Station and is a 3-minute walk from Madison Square Garden. Promoted as an affordable alternative in Midtown Manhattan, this hotel is well suited for guests who are looking to explore Manhattan on a budget.
This hotel is 100% smoke free and all 1,700 rooms include a TV with pay-per-view movies, an iron and ironing board, a hair dryer and a telephone with voicemail. Rooms are furnished with one double bed, two double beds, three twin beds or four twin beds. Suites provide more spacious accommodations and are furnished with a sofabed and one king bed. Cribs and roll-away beds are available on request for an additional fee of $25 per night.
Penn 5000 Club rooms offer one king bed and also include a mini-fridge, a work station, a flat screen TV and an MP3 alarm clock. Guests staying in these rooms also have access to the lounge, which features a free continental breakfast, coffee and tea service, free newspapers and computers with free Internet access.
Wi-Fi is available for an additional fee of $10.95 per 24 hours in common spaces, the lobby and Penn 5000 Club rooms. Select room packages include free Wi-Fi. Valet parking is available for an additional fee of $51 per night or $61 per night for large vehicles. As the host hotel for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, pets are permitted for an additional fee of $25 per pet, per stay. Two pets are allowed per room and there are no weight restrictions.
Both on-site restaurants, Statler Grill and Lindy's Restaurant, serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is also a 24-hour coffee shop, City Perk, on site.
This hotel has a concierge desk, which can assist with acquiring theatre tickets, booking sight-seeing tours and making travel reservations. Other on-site amenities include a 24-hour fitness centre, a 24-hour newsstand, a 24-hour business centre, 16 function rooms and three ballrooms, and discounted passes to Bally's Fitness Centre, which is about a 3-minute walk away.
Macy's, the largest department store in the world, is about 3 minutes away on foot, while the Empire State Building is about an 8-minute walk away. Cornell University is a 10-minute walk away, while Times Square is about 14 minutes away on foot. The Broadway Theatre District is a 15-minute walk away, while the Jacob K Javits Convention Centre is about 20 minutes on foot or a 6-minute drive away. Access to Central Park is about 5 minutes away by car or about 11 minutes away via public transit.
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is about a 20-minute drive away, while J.F.K. International Airport (JFK) and Newark International Airport (EWR) are both about 30 minutes away by car. (All walking and driving time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified by a front desk agent on May 13, 2013: Valet parking and Wi-Fi fees.
The GoodMany guests thought that the location was the highlight of this property, among the reviews used for this analysis, and reviewers described walking to Madison Square Garden, Macy's, Times Square and Penn Station.
Several reviewers found their rooms to be clean and a few guests described their rooms as generally comfortable. However, some other reviewers had concerns about their rooms (see below for more details).
A couple of guests thought that the room rates were reasonable, while a couple of reviewers praised the free breakfast at the Penn 5000 Club.
A couple of reviewers appreciated that the elevators were fast.
While a few guests described the staff as friendly and responsive to guest concerns, several reviewers expressed concerns about the service they received (see below for more details).
The Bad
There were several common concerns found for this hotel, among the reviews sourced for this editorial.
Several guests found their rooms to be dated and in need of upgrades. One reviewer described her room as shabby, while another guest said that her room was in a state of general disrepair.
A couple of guests mentioned that their rooms were equipped with old televisions that had poor reception, while a couple of other reviewers described their rooms and bathrooms as small. One guest thought that his room was cramped, while another reviewer described her room as minute.
While a few guests thought that the staff were friendly, several other reviewers thought that the staff were disinterested and unhelpful. One guest said that the front desk agent she encountered was less than helpful and rude.
A few reviewers complained about the additional fees for Wi-Fi ($10.95 per 24 hours).
Expedia.ca gave this hotel an average score of 2.7 out of 5, with 60% of 7,219 guests recommending the property.
TripAdvisor.com ranked this hotel #361 out of 434 hotels in New York City, with an average score of 2.5 out of 5, from 5,948 reviews.
The author called the hotel on May 13, 2013 to verify some information.