First Impressions
The Park Central Hotel was the first I ever booked through priceline.com (which I no longer recommend, see that review), so I was prepared for just about anything. What a pleasant surprise! This hotel has been recently refurbished and they did it right. The hotel is modern and stylish but not overly pretentious. The rooms were clean and comfortable. I was on the exec floor (free upgrade!) and there was plenty of space.

The hotel is in a grand old building on Seventh Ave. (please don't make me guess the school of architecture). It is a bit of surprise in terms of quality because it is not near most of the other well-known older hotels, such as the East Side Marriott or the Waldorf. It is modern but not so chic as to qualify as a boutique hotel like the W chain or the Ian Schrager hotels (e.g. the Paramount). For me, this was the right balance. All the nice modern touches but without the undercurrent of pretention that sometimes surfaces at boutique. They haven't forgotten what makes a good hotel in the process of gussying up an old girl.

The lobby is very busy -- it appears to be a real crossroads where plenty meet and greet. No dead space by the front desk at this place. There is a restaurant off to one side of the lobby. I didn't eat there but it looked popular and the prices, while not low, did not seem high for a hotel.

Service
Check-in was simple. I was treated nicely even though I had a discount internet booking. I think the front desk clerk appreciated my patience in waiting for assistance. When I requested a quiet room, I was quickly upgraded to the exec floor with no extra charge. Just goes to show that a little common courtesy and patience (not always my strong suit after hours of traveling) can often go a long way in the tourism industry.

I had little other reason to call on hotel personal -- a good sign itself. The room was always cleaned spotless while I was out and about.

I very much enjoyed breakfast. The exec floor provides a nice continental breakfast. In appropriate weather, you can actually eat outside on a terrace overlooking the city, though I should warn you that the most famous buildings are not really on view.

Rooms
My room on the exec floor was quite spacious with good windows and a decent view. I imagine the rooms lower down are a tad smaller but I would expect reasonable based on the spacious nature of my room (i.e. the rooms could be smaller than my room without being a closet by Manhattan standards).

You can play Nintendo video games, for a price, in the room. The decor is modern but not overdone. Very tasteful. It works well because the general minimalism (smooth lines, solid neutral colors, no extra junk lying around) is relaxing and leaves more space to move around.

The bathroom was attractive but left a few things to be desired. In particular, I don't recall a good place to put my toiletries. It was spacious but constantly searching for a place to put things or rummaging through my toiletries bag always annoys me in a hotel bathroom. Lots of silver and shiny surfaces -- glad I don't have to clean it everyday.

My impression is of a high standard of cleanliness. No hotel odor or ratty towels. This always impresses me in Manhattan where grit seems to get just about everywhere.

Location and Transportation
The hotel is a couple of blocks from Broadway and Times Square. For the subway minded, it is near the A, C, and E lines -- one oddity is that the nearest stop on 50th Street that some of lines going in the same direction leave from different platforms. This is frustrating because if you are just going to another stop in Manhattan, it doesn't matter which train you take. A good piece of news is that this stop is just a few stops from Penn Station with no transfer required.

If I recall correctly, the N, R and 1, 9 are also close. If you enjoy midtown theater, the hotel is ideally located. If you're into shopping, Rockefeller Center is a few long blocks east and few more blocks north. It is not the most centrally located hotel for Fifth or Madison Ave. shopping but not terribly inconvenient. Getting down to the West Village or Chelsea is a breeze on the subway or a bus, as is getting to the UWS (Upper West Side). The UES (Upper East Side) with the museums is a bit trickier and longer but not impossible either.

Conclusion
Too bad I never got this one again through priceline. Otherwise, I would have continued to use their service. In any case, I would be happy to stay there again, assuming I can afford it. My impression is that it has been discovered as a good, solid, freshly remodeled hotel and the prices reflect this. It is probably the best hotel that I have stayed in this small part of the city. I actually liked it slightly more than the East Side Marriott, though (unsurprisingly) not as much as the Waldorf.

I highly recommend the Park Central.

Recommended: Yes