List of NYC Hotels

GPYP seminars now seem to have more out of towners than in towners so I’ve compiled a list of hotels for those coming from out of town. I’m going to try to add some more “NYC stuff to see and do” to these pages. For now, here are the hotel recommendations. If you have others or disagree with these, please send me mail. I welcome input and I like to stay current.

Disclaimer: I’m not a travel agent and a lot of this information is picked up second hand. This is my impression of the NYC hotel market and if you have a differing view, write me and I’ll note it.

NYC Hotels

This might seem like a large list but if you check out the travel sites you might be able to whittle it down a bit.

If you have ANY questions, please let me know. If you check out the travel sites, take the reviews with a grain of salt. Some posters, I have noticed, just don’t get the NYC hotel market.

I’ve included every price range because I don’t know what people prefer. If this is really overwhelming, let me know, give me your price range and I’ll suggest a hotel or two. Email me with any questions.

If you want to be sure of what you’re getting stay with the brand names.

Hotels:

Hotels in Manhattan average between $200 and $400 a night and are typically the size of a closet. In NY I tend to think of hotels in 3 categories: luxury, average and rat trap. Of course I will not recommend rat trap.

Most NY hotels that are luxury are 400 plus a night but they are a memorable experience and many times coming to the city before I moved back, I would pay those prices (and higher) but other times when I would not be in my room at all, I would go for average which means small room, some fraying around the edges in public spaces, nothing terribly fancy. But all the hotels listed are safe and secure.

Housekeeping turnover is TREMENDOUS in NYC “average” hotels so you could get to your room and not have towels so you have to ask for some but usually if you complain about anything in an average hotel, they take care of it. They understand that sometimes the housekeeping staff is phoning it in. I will also give out-of-towners my number and if they have any problem, call me and I will give the hotels a piece of my mind and get everything straightened out.

These are some hotels I know and my thoughts on them. If I think of more I’ll let you know. Check Travelocity, Orbitz, Hotwire, Priceline and Hotels.com etc etc etc … if there is a deal on there and the hotel is not here, let me know and I’ll find out about it.

These are in no particular order:

Average: Doubletree Metropolitan, centrally located though toward the east side (the seminar is a bit west but not a biggie). Tends to be priced on the lowend (toward 200).

Rooms are small and hotel is very average but safe and deals can be found on travelocity and orbitz and hotels.com (I usually check all 3).

High Average: Hotel Chandler: sometimes reasonable deals are found here. It is well-liked by a lot of people AND in the neighborhood of the seminar. I’ve never stayed there but I’ve heard good things. Rooms are small per NY average but if you can get a deal I think it’s a good bang for the buck hotel. It will advertise at over 300.00 a night but if you surf the travel sites you can usually find a deal (depending on the season) as low at 200.00 or less.

Luxury: Marriott Marquis: rooms average $375 a night but you can find deals sometimes. Smack in the middle of Times Square and I have stayed here many times before I moved back. A Broadway view room can’t be beat from here but you pay for that view. A high end Marriott and tends to sell out weeks in advance because it’s truly in the middle of Times Square.

All of the Marriotts are good in the city but the cheapest is in the Financial District and some rooms have a good view of the harbor. (you can ask if you book) but you definitely have to take a cab to and from the Financial District. If you stay in midtown, you can get around by subway/walking. I’m not terribly fond of the Marriott East Side…It wasn’t terrible but I thought the rooms were kind of frumpy.

Average: Park Central near Central Park (56th and Broadway). Again, you can find deals for this hotel on Orbitz and Travelocity. They are another average NY hotel meaning nothing memorable but a decent place to stay.

Average: Quality Hotel Times Square: when I was in law school and traveling to NY for interviews I would stay here. We got a hotel allowance from the firm and as a poor law student, wanted to stretch a dollar. Toward the lower end of the price spectrum with small rooms (VERY small) but its centrally located and they have a continental breakfast. Nothing fancy but fine to sleep if you’re going to be out and about. There’s a 24 hour deli about 3 doors down.

High Average or Low Luxury: W Hotel east side is more comfortable than most averages but smaller than most luxuries. It has a nice location on Lexington (again, the east side but not terribly far out of the way). Sometimes it runs about $300 a night but sometimes $200 a night. I think the average is about $250.

Luxury: W Times Square: Marriott Marquis’s biggest competitor. Similar rooms and prices and location.

Luxury: Sofitel New York; Nice location. Good service. about $375 a night.

Luxury: Westin Times Square Very nice. About $350.00 a night.

High Average: Hilton midtown: great location and I’ve stayed here many times. The rooms are smaller than luxury but bigger than average and it’s a Hilton so it has Hilton-like qualities (not Chicago Hilton opulence but run of the mill Hilton). It has nice public spaces. About $270 a night but deals can be had. Check the online travel sites because I’ve seen this advertised for $350 a night as well and for that price, you might as well stay at the Marriott Marquis. But you can pay a lot less. Definitely look for deals for this hotel.

Hilton Garden is about the same I think with less elaborate public spaces.

Millenium Hilton also runs a lot of deals. Is on Church Street near Ground Zero. During the week the construction can be loud but seems to be fine on the weekends. Quieter area than midtown (nights and weekends) and you can just jump on the train at Wall Street and come up to the seminar.

Almost the Hilton: The Sheraton across from the midtown Hilton is a bit more frayed around the edges but it’s almost the Hilton. Slightly cheaper. Other Sheratons include good locations on both the west and east sides. Check the midtown Sheratons because they’re all different prices (not sure why). Note: Several travelers to the March seminars found INCREDIBLE deals at the Sheratons through UNADVERTISED specials on the travel sites (though not all of them had the specials so SHOP AROUND!).

High Average: Hemsley: I’ve heard mixed reviews but you can find deals for it, the location is great (near Grand Central) and if you request a high floor you will get a good view. There is also a Park Lane Hemsley near Central Park. I think they are very similar.

High Average: Barclay New York: On the east side. I’ve heard good things.

High Average: Hotel Roger Williams. It’s in Murray Hill which is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city though it’s not “central” but gives more of a true NY feel than most midtown hotels and is decently priced and has a good reputation in a great, if off the beaten path, neighborhood.

Mid to High Average: Novotel New York. I stayed here about 5 years ago and liked it. Relatives of mine stayed here and didn’t like it. It’s centrally located and has decent reviews.

High Average/Low Luxury: Hotel Mela A New York hotel with an Italian feel.

High Average/Low Luxury: Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel. A New York Hotel with an Irish feel.

Mid-luxury: The Benjamin near Rockefeller Center. Classy hotel. Good reviews from students who have stayed here.

High Average: Hotel Chelsea (do not confuse with Chelsea Star hotel which is not recommended by me). Rooms average about $300 a night. Old and historical hotel. Comfortable. Not great to look at on the outside but very near the NYC Seminar Center (within walking distance).

High Average/Low Luxury: Time Hotel. Another Times Square Hotel. It’s nicer than most averages but not yet on par with the Marquis or the W Times Square.

Average: Comfort Inn Chelsea This is closer to the seminar center and I think it’s a good price for NYC. Nothing fancy. Very small rooms.

Average: EastGate Tower Suite A friend stayed here when she came to town and liked it. Supposedly good price.

Luxury: Essex House. This hotel starts at $500 a night but the location is Central Park South. I’ve stayed here and it was “nice” but most people find the rates a bit exorbitant

High Average: Tudor Hotel at the United Nations. This hotel frequently runs deals and is a nice place to stay albeit a little bit out of the way from midtown.

Check all the travel sites a few times. Take reviews with a grain of salt….and look for DEALS.

If you have a question about a hotel not on this list, let me know.