Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Location, freindly helpful staff |
| Disadvantages: |
bit tired/dated |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
We are just back from 4 nights in The Wellington Hotel. We booked it back in Jan'07 thru an online hotel booking site (I may have mentioned it in other reviews) We also booked flights directly with BA thru their website.
We had stayed in NewYork about 2 years ago in a YMCA in the upper westside. However as my oldies were coming with us we had to book a hotel.
We booked a suite at The Wellington for around £780 for 4 adults for 4 nights and the BA flights from ABZ cost around £1,200 for the 4 of us.
We arrived at JFK around 1600hrs and after clearing immigration and a lenghty taxi journey we arrived at the hotel about 1800hrs.
The hotel looked impressive from outside, the lights of Times Square were visable from the front door. The reception area is very nice, a huge chandalier greets you. The reception desk is small and quite often busy. However when we checked in we didn't have to queue and were in our room on the 12th floor in no time.
Our room was a side room with double windows out onto some side street. This was good as the sound from 7th avenue may have been too noisey. The room itself was very large, it had two double beds, a kitchenette and a bathroom. We unpacked before heading out to get our bearings.
I was a little disturbed as I thought we had booked a suite. I thought that maybe the americans called that type of room a suite. So as we left the hotel I called at reception. I explained that we had booked a suite and asked if they had any available. The girl at the desk was extremely helpful and once she checked our accomodation voucher she appologised and advised that they were overbooked for that night but she would leave a note for the morning receptionist and we would get a suite the next day. She then gave us a voucher each for a free breakfast at the "Park Cafe" which is situated on the ground floor of the hotel.
After our free breakfast the next morning we called again at the reception desk and the girl advised us to pack our bags and leave them with the bell boys and if we came back after 1500 hrs there would be a suite ready for us.
It was and as we entered we discovered it was huge! A good sized double bedroom a massive lounge area with 3 seat sofa, coffee table, 2 bedside tables, small round dining typ table and 4 chairs, double bed and kitchenette. There was no cutlery or crockery in the kitchenette. The
rooms do not have safety deposit boxes but these are available free at reception. Be careful though, if you lose the key there is a charge of $100 to break open the box.
The areas away from reception area are tired/dated. Our room was kept clean. The beds made/changed daily and the bathroom cleaned and towels changed daily also.
We did have a few hiccups during our stay however everything was dealt with very very effciently and without fuss.
On our first night in the suite, the toilet backed up and flooded all over the bathroom floor!!! We called reception and within 5 minutes a handyman was up at our 7th floor suite, plunger in hand. Unfortunately the plunger didn't clear the blockage so he went off and came back with something else. This did the job and he left telling us that he would get housekeeping to come clean the bathroom. They appeared within a few minutes and everything was back to normal within 20 minutes of the incident.
The other hiccup we had was the next night our electronic keycards wouldn't open our room door. After a couple of trips down to reception to have them re-coded. The night staff arranged for security to re-code our room locks. I was very impresssed that the reception staff asked for identification before helping.
There are two banks of lifts. One bank has three lifts the other has two. The lifts did at times take a long time to appear, although once you were in them they took no time to get to your desired floor. They could easily hold 6 people and luggage.
In the reception area there are 3 pc's, handy if you want to check-in for return flights or just keep in touch.
The bell boys were extremly helpful. On the last day our return flight was at 2230 from JFK and we had checked out that morning. The bell boys kept our luggage secure. We had some spare spending money so on that last day we went on a bit of a spending spree, so much so that we had to buy an extra case to put it all in!!! Oh it's good when the exchange rate is good!
We asked the bellboy what was the best way to get to the airport on the day before thanksgiving, The subway had been very busy that day from about 1500hrs. He advised against taking the subway and said a cab would be quickest. When he knew there was four adults and all our luggage he phoned around his contacts and got us a limo at 45 minutes notice! The cost was more than the subway but not much more than a cab would have been. The limo cost us $90+tip (we came him $120) However we felt this was worth it as we arrived at JFK relaxed and ready for the night flight home.
The location of this hotel is great it is 13 blocks uptown from Times Square (about 20 minute walk) and about 4 blocks downtown from central park (6 min walk) 5th Ave is 2 blocks east. The subway is directly under 7th Ave. The entrance is on the corner of 7th/55th. We bought "metro cards" for $24 each valid for 7 days. A single journey on the subway is $2 if you go one stop or from terminus to terminus.
Yes, the rooms are a little bit tired/dated and a bit of TLC wouldn't be amis. However when we go on holiday the hotel is only a place to sleep, shower and change. As long as it is clean and comfortable then thats fine by me.
*** Top Tip *** Although the breakfast at the Park Cafe is good, why not stop at a street vendor for a coffee and do-nut. The coffee is the best ever, probably cause it is loaded with sugar and the cinnamon do-nuts are to die for and they keep you going till lunchtime or beyond!
Would we stay at The Wellington Hotel again? Yes without question.
I will be reviewing other aspects of our trip in time, such as Gordon Ramseys new restaurant. Maze at The London.
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