OverviewLocated about a 1-minute walk from the 51st St. subway entrance in Midtown Manhattan, The Benjamin Hotel New York City is suitable for business and vacation travellers who prefer a boutique-style, centrally located hotel with easy access to public transit, extended kitchen amenities and on-site dining.
This hotel has 209 air-conditioned guest rooms and suites, each offering cable TV, a DVD player, an iPod docking station, a coffeemaker, a kitchenette, a mini-bar, a desk, pillow selection, an iron and ironing board, a hair dryer and a bathrobe and slippers for each guest.
Rooms with separate bedrooms, a dining area, a living room with a sofabed, a full kitchen and a terrace are also available. This hotel is wheelchair accessible and Wi-Fi is an additional $13.95 for 24 hours.
Hotel amenities include fitness facilities, a spa and wellness centre, a business centre, one meeting/conference room and guest laundry. Organized activities for children are available. This hotel offers a "sleep program" (contact the hotel for more information).
Valet parking is available for an additional $55 per day and pets are permitted for a $100 deposit per night. Luxury pet amenities are available.
On-site dining is available at The National, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, and provides free Wi-Fi for patrons. Room service is also available.
Saks Fifth Avenue is a 7-minute walk westward, while Radio City Music Hall can be found about 13 minutes away via public transit. Times Square is an 18-minute walk west. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is a 15-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi $13.95/day, valet parking $55/day, pets permitted for $100 deposit per/pet/day, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: July 19, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's staff, location, rooms and food.
The hotel's staff were praised by numerous guests, who characterized them as friendly, exceptional, service oriented and helpful with recommendations and directions.
Many reviewers appreciated the hotel's location, and described it as being close to public transit, restaurants, shopping, attractions, the theatre district, Grand Central Station and the Museum of Modern Art.
Several lodgers enjoyed the hotel's accommodations. They described their rooms as clean, quiet, well equipped and spacious, with spectacular city views, nice toiletries and comfortable beds and pillows. It should be noted, though, that a few reviewers had complaints about their rooms (see below).
The hotel's restaurant was the source of several compliments by guests. They described the food as delicious and excellent, the service as efficient and the staff as knowledgeable. One lodger stated the restaurant provided "Great food at reasonable prices".
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few complaints about the costs, the rooms and the elevators.
A few reviewers were disappointed with the costs they incurred while staying at the hotel. They complained about the charge for in-room Wi-Fi and the snacks in the in-room mini-bar, and also felt the room rates were too expensive.
While the majority of lodgers were pleased with their clean and comfortable accommodations, a few reviewers had complaints about their rooms. They reported worn carpets, dated decor and furniture, noisy in-room air conditioners and fridges, and some housekeeping issues.
The hotel's elevators were a source of criticism by a few guests. They reported slow service, and felt inconvenienced that there were only two elevators for the hotel.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #113 of 434 New York City hotels with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 1,191 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.5 out of 5 with a 95% recommendation rate from 661 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 8.1 out of 10 from 211 reviews.
The author called the hotel on July 19, 2013 to verify some information.