Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, New York City

Author's product rating:   

Advantages:	The view, and erm everything else, but the view mainly !
Disadvantages:	Too many mirrorerd walls  -  it's a hazard !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Who wouldn’t enjoy a few days wandering around New York, taking in the sights and sounds of one of the most famous places on earth? Central Park, the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings…Broadway, Times Square and the hustle and bustle of lower Manhattan…

I have been to New York many times on business over the years but had never really spent more than a few hours of free time getting to know the place so when my husband suggested we have a long weekend there recently I bit his arm off!

Mind you, those business trips had served me well because I knew quite a few of the central hotels and also knew how poor value they can be: how basic and uninteresting and how noisy many of them can be as the sirens wail past them through the night. So I knew that the best thing we could do was book into the Millennium UN Plaza for a real treat…

For those in the know please don’t get confused, the Millennium UN Plaza used to be simply the UN Plaza, but I suspect that it was changed because of the confusion the similarity to “The Plaza” (y’know, the place where Catherine Zeta Jones married that old chap??!) was causing tourists and taxi-drivers alike!

MEET ME ON THE CORNER...

44th and 1st is a rather enviable address and right in the heart of what is going on. In Union Plaza itself this is basically the only building of any stature and you will instantly recognise it by the UN flags flying outside! LaGuardia Airport is only 8 miles away, JFK is more like 16 and Newark is slightly further at 18 miles. Still, with the speed I can get through Newark I can save SERIOUS time in the airport itself and would certainly recommend it above the others if you have a choice.

So to try to place it even more let’s think…well, the Empire State Building is 1.5 miles away, the heart of Fifth Avenue is 2 miles away and Grand Central Station is only 4 blocks away!

The hotel is called the Millennium UN Plaza because it is a hotel that resides ABOVE the UN buildings. So if you are an avid fan of Kofi Annan and his cohorts than this could be just the fan-base for you in the States! More seriously, if you want to feel SAFE then I guess this is a pretty darned good place to be!

So on first approaching Union Plaza on 44th and 1st you will be amazed – it’s high; it’s very high and is in fact set over floors 28 – 40 in the building. It is also one of those buildings that look sheer; more like it is made out of mirror glass than glass itself y’know? It is quite a landmark in its own right and I believe it was also scaled from the outside by one of those “freestyle” (meaning no safety ropes) climbers once.

Anyhow, this all means there are a couple of things that you need to know – there are some stairs, so if you are incredibly claustrophobic and unable to use lifts then you are going to be getting some SERIOUS exercise during your stay!

The other thing that those with a delicate constitution may want to consider is this: it SWAYS! Not hugely, but enough for you to know it’s happening, and if that is going to stop you having a good night’s sleep then this is not the place for you! I once stayed here with a doctor who I was attending a meeting with the following morning – by the time I met up with him in the morning he was just in pieces and was a complete wreck throughout our work! All due, so he said to THAT sway!

SEE YOU IN THE LOBBY...

The lobby is a rather impressive, if disconcerting place. It has been updated quite extensively since I first visited but it still has an alarming amount of mirror walls to give the effect of space! There is always a distinct danger that a couple of gin and tonics would have you walking into walls!

On the more practical side there are some very charming and efficient concierge staff (who even popped out to the chemist/drugstore for me at one stage!) some hushed reception staff and entrances to both the Ambassador Grill and the Ambassador Lounge.

Of course there is also a gift shop and a lage lounge area and everywhere has ramps as well as steps so disabled access has really been taken into account.

COME UP AND SEE ME SOMETIME…

Having taken the stomach-turning speed elevator up to your room you will find your room is unsurprisingly opened by a security card, rather than a key. You will find a large room, tastefully but minimally decorated with all the usual add-ins you would expect.

Hairdryer, Trouser press, Voicemail telephone (incredibly over-priced) Mini Bar and Personal Safe. As standard come a TV with satellite/cable, in-house movies, a radio and climate control. So nothing unusual here, but everything you could pretty much want.

Given that the mini bar is so expensive it is good that some free snacks, fruit and water are usually set out for your arrival. Don’t expect coffee/tea-making facilities – it just doesn’t seem to be the done thing in US hotels.

The other thing to watch out for is using their modem connection, each room has 2 dual-line phones, and modem/fax/computer ports – the usual ridiculous hotel telephone rates apply and you can easily run up a bill for £100+ as I did just by sending and receiving your e:mails everyday.

Little touches do make all the rooms very comfortable, there are large desks for business people to spread their work out on, and even Knoll Ergonomic Chairs.

There are 427 rooms in all, and are divided up into Guest rooms, Classic Suites and Junior suites.

Before you freshen up for dinner pull the curtains open and stand slack-jawed before the most amazing cityscape you will have the privilege to view. You will be able to see lower Manhattan stretching into the distance, to follow the East River and to marvel at the landmarks of the Empire State Building and the impressive Chrysler. Here, my friends, is what you are paying for and no amount of consideration of the free shampoo bottles or whether a chambermaid smiled at you or not will have any significant impact on the price of being able to look out on this majestic view. Enjoy.

I'LL BE OUT IN A JIFFY DARLING...

The bathroom is the sort of bathroom you would expect for a 4 star city centre hotel – white and gleaming and larger than many hotel bathrooms we are used to accepting. There is nothing whatever to set it apart from a million other hotel bathrooms except its size but that is only because it is doing everything right – complimentary bits and bobs, white fluffy towels, bathrobes…you know the form…

LET'S EAT!

The bar is called the Ambassador Lounge – it’s a rather dark intimate place, with lots of tables half hidden from one another. The same hostess’s have been working the bar for years and have amazingly good memories for guests! Drinks are expensive, as you would expect in a fairly upmarket hotel bar, but it is still worth just one drink before dinner (and a nibble on a complimentary cashew!) just to get a feel for the place.

The Restaurant is similar – surprisingly intimate, given the number of people it can accommodate. It used to be rather too starchy and formal for my tastes but is now feeling rather more casual. Don’t get me wrong, you’d feel a fool wearing your jeans but the elegance of the place is far from poe-faced. If you are feeling particularly naughty then the restaurant is rather well known for its Sunday Champagne and Lobster Brunch – unfortunately I can’t testify to it’s value because we haven’t stayed on a Sunday – yet!

If room service is more your thing then it s available from 6 am until midnight every day and provides a large proportion of the restaurant menu along with smaller snacks. From memory, I think you will pay an additional $5 for the service.

DID YOU BRING YOUR TENNIS WHITES??

Anyone for tennis? Well it might rather take you by surprise to learn that there are tennis courts, a rather impressive gym and a swimming pool taking up one floor in this hotel (eek, I think it was the 35th..) It really does feel bizarre that they should be so high up the building and swaying along with the rest of us…perhaps that is why they are so deserted! If you fancy a swim it seems that you can have the pool to yourself at virtually any time of the day or night…

CHECK OUT CHECKING OUT...

So the end of your stay has come around all too quickly, and the damage to your credit card will almost certainly depend on how canny you were at finding a bargain on the internet. Rack rates in early months range from about $179 - $280 depending on the days of the week, but I have seen claims that people have had rooms from only $100 a night. We paid $160 per night which I thought was excellent (don’t forget this is for two people sharing a double room). All in all, I thought it was a bargain and would be happy to use this as my base when I visit New York again.

Contact the hotel at:

1 Union Plaza (44th/1st)
New York
NY 10017-3575 US

Thanks for reading :o)