The Helmsley Park Lane, New York City

The Helmsley Park Lane is ideally located - in particular for the first time New York tourist who wants to experience the city's charme. Opposite the hotel lies Central Park and to its right the infamous 5th Avenue with Tiffany's, FAO Schwarz and Saks no more than 5 minutes away. Close to the hotel is also a wealth of good restaurants -the Hard Rock Cafe and the Harley Davidson Cafe, as well as some more unique and fancy establishments on 57th Street.
...disappointing compared to the other places on Central Park South. The hotel lacks the large and luxurious entrance that one may expect to be overwhelmed with by a hotel of its class.

The standards rooms are superbly clean (with twice daily maid service). If you are looking for a true 5 star experience, however, you may be a little disappointed. The standard room was only medium-sized and there was nothing memorable to its decor, which ... more

The Helmsley Park Lane is ideally located - in particular for the first time New York tourist who wants to experience the city's charme. Opposite the hotel lies Central Park and to its right the infamous 5th Avenue with Tiffany's, FAO Schwarz and Saks no more than 5 minutes away. Close to the hotel is also a wealth of good restaurants -the Hard Rock Cafe and the Harley Davidson Cafe, as well as some more unique and fancy establishments on 57th Street.

The outside decor of the hotel is disappointing compared to the other places on Central Park South. The hotel lacks the large and luxurious entrance that one may expect to be overwhelmed with by a hotel of its class.

The standards rooms are superbly clean (with twice daily maid service). If you are looking for a true 5 star experience, however, you may be a little disappointed. The standard room was only medium-sized and there was nothing memorable to its decor, which suggests that the high price reflects its superb location rather than its unique rooms.

For those who have troubles sleeping, the Helmsley does offer an advantage over most New York City Hotels. The beds are superbly comfortable and the building is designed so that it drowns out most, if not all, of New York City's noise.

The hotel offers rooms with different types of view. The city view from the room I stayed in was not spectacular, but if you have some extra cash to spare you may want to opt for a room with a view over Central Park.

Having stayed in several hotels in Manhattan over the last few years, I can still recommend the hotel, especially if you can find a discount on this hotel. I would definitely recommend it, especially for couples (not on a honeymoon, though) or business people. It is very difficult to find a good hotel in New York on a budget. At the Helmsley Park Lane you are at the very least guaranteed a clean, friendly and quiet stay - which is not easy to find in New York City.
 

...less