Hotel Pennsylvania, New York City > Reviews > Hotel Pennsylvania

Author's product rating:   

Advantages:	Location, Cheap, Comfortable
Disadvantages:	Decor, Basic Accommodation

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

After reading a number of reviews on a New York forum, I was getting very apprehensive about staying in this hotel. A number of people stated this hotel was dirty, the staff unfriendly and their stay a nightmare with a majority saying to stay well clear.

Having just returned from my holiday there, I'd like to balance this out with my experience. Being a 2-star hotel, I wasn't expecting the earth and found myself pleasantly surprised. When you enter the hotel lobby, it shines at you with the marble floors and chandaliers; all very clean and had that bit of wow-factor. Check in was quick and the staff very friendly and chatty.

We took the lift up to the 9th floor and when we stepped out, some of the relief I had felt in the lobby disappeared. The decor in the corridors leading to all the rooms was not great - very outdated and not fresh, although clean. Then again, you don't sleep in the corridors and it wasn't something that bothered me.

On entering our room, I was pleased. Although some of the features were a bit outdated (mirror, fridge, lamps) the room was not at all grubby, was spacious and was very clean. All in all it was a comfortable room that I could feel relaxed in. I am aware that the hotel is/was renovating it's rooms and so I may have felt different had I not had a renovated room. So my main recommendation to people thinking of staying there, is to ask for a renovated room - I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

The biggest selling point for this hotel is it's excellent central location. Directly opposite Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, it has excellent subway links - 1 stop down from Times Square. The Empire State Building is just a couple of blocks away so is a very short walk, and some major shopping can be done just round the corner where the world-famous Macys is.

There are better hotels and the facilities were fairly basic so if you are looking for something special (e.g. honeymoon) then I would suggest you look elsewhere and spend more on a hotel that doesn't fall into the budget category. Hotel Pennsylvania suited our requirements perfectly - central location, clean and comfortable, and a place to sleep.

Overall, I would recommend this hotel to those looking for budget accommodation. Perhaps the biggest indicator of how I feel about this hotel is the fact that I would stay there again if I was to go back to New York.