After reading the previous review as well as some reviews from TripAdvisor, I was a bit skeptical of this hotel in terms of service.

However, since this is a Westin property, and I have had good luck at other Westins and other Starwood properties, I figured I'd give it a shot since many of the poor reviews were written within the hotels first few months of opening.

I'm happy to say that I did have a very pleasant stay and the hotel seems to have worked out many of its customer service kinks!

My husband and I stayed here for 3 days midweek February 24, 25, & 26, 2004. We had requested early check-in and a corner room based on information I received from past guests.


SERVICE

Please note that this was mid-week, so the hotel may be busier on the weekends, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that at 1:00 PM there were no lines at the check-in desk and a pleasant corner room was available for us upon arrival.

The desk clerk was one of the friendliest I've ever met, and he made inquiries as to the nature of our stay, asked us several times if there was anything he could help us with, any local information we might need, etc. Extremely pleasant and knowledgeable.

The only other staff members we really had direct contact with was the bell staff, which also was attentive and friendly.

In-room check-out was prompt, and contrary to many other reviews (from other Web research), we did not have any hidden charges.


ROOMS

We were in room 2009 (20th floor), so there was no street noise, and the corner room gave us kind significantly more light/windows, as well as extra room with an entry hallway, missing from other standard non-end units. In a Manhattan hotel, any extra room is a plus. The hallway housed a mini-bar, safe, double closet, suitcase valet, and enough room to extend an ironing board. This was helpful since we could use it without obstructing the main areas or bathroom door.

Our room had a partial river view and lots of sunlight. Some windows were able to be cracked open, which was a nice treat for some fresh air - not typical for larger mid-town hotels!

The room was fairly spacious(again, in relation to typical New York hotels), and the rooms have the Starwood signature "Heavenly Beds," as well as "Heavenly Baths" - both of which live up to their names. Please note that in terms of space, my guess is that the non-corner rooms have a much smaller feel, so definitely request a corner room if one is available!


DECOR

The main entry is a bit boring - basically an open area with escalator up to lobby. The lobby was a bit smaller than I imagined, but open and homey - modern yet comfortable.

The rooms are very well-decorated - very clean and modern and slightly masculine, yet not cold-feeling. There are a lot of earth-tones and greys, along with espresso-colored woods and chrome.

The bathroom was quite modern with slate or soap stone type tiling throughout with stainless/chrome sink, counter, and accents. The shower was amazing - a double shower head gave a wonderful rain-fall effect without pelting you straight on the head.

Lighting throughout the room was plentiful, and not at all dim. In fact, the only suggestion would actually be to have dimmers - none of the lights had different settings, so I found it to be almost too bright.

The desk was ample, and the chair was extremely comfortable with great back support. I'm sure business travelers really appreciate this.


LOCATION

The location of this hotel is perfect. Extremely easy to drive to, with many parking garages nearby (although I believe there is one at the hotel, we parked for a much lower rate about 1.5 blocks away at an indoor valet garage - check iconparking.com for locations and rates). We were there to see The Producers, which was literally around the corner from our hotel. We found all of the action of Times Square right there, and great bars and dining within a short walk away (Restaurant Row isn't too far).

I'm not the biggest fan of the Times Square area, but if you are looking to stay here for proximity to theatre, I would highly recommend this hotel!


OVERALL / RECOMMENDATION

Overall, I would definitely stay here again, and I would highly recommend it to other visitors. It is well-priced for what you get - definitely not a budget hotel, but not too expensive either. If you've stayed at other Westins, they are very much in line with the brand - perhaps a bit more modern in decor/feel than some other Westins, but similar in quality. It is similar in feel to a W hotel (also owned by Starwood), but larger.

This is one of the best Times Square hotels in New York for visitors, and is also ideal for business travelers who are doing business in the immediate area.

Please note that due to its more modern feel, this hotel may not be for everyone. I think that in general, people with modern and/or minimalist decor tendancies will really like this hotel. I would not recommend this to people that prefer traditional luxury hotels such as the St. Regis or the Waldorf. This is definitely more of a clean-lined modern hotel rather than traditional and frilly.

Recommended: Yes