"I'll have three fingers of Glenlivet, with a little bit of pepper....and some cheese"
"I'll have three fingers of Glenlivet, with a little bit of pepper....and some cheese"
Member since:12.02.2004
Reviews:25
Members who trust:3
Booking a hotel in New York can be a somewhat bewildering experience - there is far too much choice! This can be a burden -your choice of hotel can make or break a holiday and with such a wonderful city as New York, it becomes even more important.
We booked 5 nights at the Milford Plaza Hotel, located on West 45th Street in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The location could not have been better - the hotel is in Broadway's Theatre District, and just a few minutes stroll to Times Square.
The hotel's lobby is large and impressive, well-decorated and always busy - don't worry if you arrive about 1am (like we did), the lobby and reception area is still well-populated - well, it is the city that never sleeps!
The reception staff are very friendly and helpful - they offer a currency exchange service and also a (free) safety deposit box behind the desk. Reception is manned 24 hours a day, as is the security desk on the entrance to the lifts - no-one is allowed into the lifts before showing their room key, which
is a welcome and comforting idea.
A trip in one of the high-speed lifts (I think there were at least 6 of these!) and you're at your room. We did have to change from our original room as it was above the fan at the back of the hotel - unfortunately the windows are not double-glazed so it was a bit noisy. Reception were very accomodating though and got us a room on the 18th floor at the corner of the hotel which was much quieter - a bit of traffic noise, but that is to be expected in New York where sounding the car horn seems customary! My advice would be to pack ear-plugs if you're a light sleeper!
The room was spacious with a very comfortable double-bed and the welcome addition of black-out curtains (although this means you may lie-in a bit too long!). The air-conditioning was great - with the 80F+ temperatures we experienced there last month, it was so nice to leave the air-con running in the morning to come back to a very cool room when we returned. We did have to turn it off then though as it got too cold! It also doubles as a heater if you're going there during the colder Winter months.
Our TV had 50+ channels, also offering a pay-per-play Nintendo games service, very useful for children (or adults for that matter). We had a clock radio, internet access, desk area plus an iron and ironing board. The bathroom was small but had a powerful shower, and our towels were changed daily.
The hotel does not offer an included breakfast but has the Celebrity diner downstairs which is open all day - we had breakfast here and were impressed with the portions! Alongside this is Garvey's Irish pub (open until 4am) which is a small bar with a friendly atmosphere and well worth a stop for a night-cap on your way back to your room.
A well-stocked gift shop in the lobby sells souvenirs, newspapers, sweets, etc and is a handy stop for anything you've forgotten. There is also a gym which we didn't get to see - walking the streets of the city is a work-out in itself! For any questions or requirements about the city, including booking any tickets, there is a concierge desk also in the lobby to help you out.
When checking out, the hotel offers a luggage drop-off service, very useful if you've got a late flight out of NYC (the check-out time is noon). For $3 an item, you can leave all your bags and cases in a supervised room next to the hotel entrance and enjoy the rest of your last day without worrying about dragging them around.
As for going out and about, the 2 main open-top bus tours stop almost right outside the hotel - you can get tickets from the vendors in red/yellow jackets who stand outside the Celebrity diner. Hotel staff will get you a taxi, but these stop regularly outside too. The nearest subway stop is about a 2 minute walk.
I would recommend walking around for the nearer sights - from the hotel its less than 5 minutes to the awesome centre of Times Square, and about 15-20 to the Empire State Building, but this is a pleasant stroll past lots of shops (including the world famous Macys). You can reach Fifth Avenue in about 15 minutes too, while a little further is Central Park. For further sights such as the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street or Ground Zero, I would advise getting a bus, taxi or subway.
As for dining, you're spoilt for choice - the famous 'Restaurant Row' is a block away with its wall-to-wall international cuisine, plus head up to Times Square for even more selections. A multitude of shops are nearby too.
With such a large area as Manhattan, you're never going to be close to everything, but the Milford Plaza enjoys an almost perfect position. For those anxious about a first visit to the city, its situated in one of the busiest, safest parts and is a perfect base to enjoy the sights of one of the most wonderful places on the planet. We are already looking forward to staying there again. Altogether now - "Start spreading the news...."
Pictures of Milford Plaza Hotel, New York City
Statue of Liberty
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Nice review, I agree entirely.
I stayed there last year and found it a great place to stay (although I only went there to sleep!). The hotel also has a Gym which is free for guests and is great first thing in the morning - just before a slap-up breakfast in a local diner. :-)
belfin 02.10.2005 20:19
never really fancied New York but my bloke would love to go, Belinda
kirstymack80 02.10.2005 13:57
I stayed here about 10 years ago and we didn't have such a great time! Reception thought we'd checked out (?) and we couldn't get back into our room after a hard day of walking around! It sounds like it's much improved since then, thank goodness! KirstyM
Location. The Milford Plaza is located in New York, N.Y. One half block from the ... more
A,C, and E subway lines One block from Broadway theaters Six blocks from Fifth Avenue Hotel Features. 24 hour fitness room Wireless Internet access fo...
Information:
Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Location. The Milford Plaza is located in New York, N.Y. One half block from the ... more
A,C, and E subway lines One block from Broadway theaters Six blocks from Fifth Avenue Hotel Features. 24 hour fitness room Wireless Internet access fo...
Information:
Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Oct 1st, 2005
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