I have stayed at the W on Lex (there are several in NYC) several times on business, but would also consider it for tourist travel. The midtown location is convenient for 5th Ave. shopping and in NY, everything is a short cab ride away.

LOBBY AND RESTAURANTS

The lobby is very beautiful - no chain look here. There are orange and gold stained glass windows that shine in the morning and a seating area with comfortable chairs. There is a bar and waitress service in the lobby at night. After a day in NYC, the lobby offers great people watching. There is another bar at the hotel entrance, mostly standing room and a chic crowd at night.

There is one restaurant in the hotel that has an expensive, but very good breakfast. Service at the restaurant varies but the food is always good. During the week, there is also a quick breakfast: fruit cups, muffins, bagels, coffee for sale in the lobby. If you are in a rush, or on a budget, you can grab something and eat it in the lobby or take it on the run.

SERVICE

The staff is very efficient, friendly and helpful. They get the job done but generally appear busy and don't always go the extra mile. Check-in and check-out are always efficient.

ROOMS

The rooms are small, even by NYC standards. They are not much wider than the bed. There is some room for a desk, tv and minibar at the foot of the bed. The minibar not only offers the typically obscenely-priced snack food, but t-shirts, caps and a $10 intimacy kit. A small closet can handle maybe two suitcases worth of clothes. The bathroom is barely big enough to hold the necessities. The rooms are done in muted colors with a modern design. The beds are amazingly comfortable: down pillows and a thick, heavy comforter. While the rooms are well designed and comfortable, you will probably feel cramped if you spend a lot of time there.

AMENITIES

The hotel has a spa with the typical spa offerings: facials, massages, etc. There is also a small, but decent, workout facility. They offer workout classes, including yoga, at least once a day. There is a small charge for the workout classes.

BUSINESS SERVICES

The hotel is great for business travelers. I have received a few faxes that were delivered in confidential envelopes. The room phones have private voicemail.

OTHER INFORMATION

The W is part of the Starwood chain. You can sign up for the Starwood Preferred Guest program (www.spg.com or www.starwood.com) for free. When you sign up, you can list preferences: newspaper or no newspaper, low floor or high floor, smoking or no smoking room, etc. I have found that presenting the preferred guest card gets me better service and better (bigger) rooms. They generally honor my preferences. Plus, you can earn points for each stay that can be redeemed for free or reduced nights in the chain or merchandise.

PRICE

I have generally paid about $220-250 for a single room midweek. I have not tried to get a room via the discount web sites since I generally use the W for business travel and need the ability to cancel or modify my reservation.

FINAL RECOMMENDATION

The W is a comfortable and very unique hotel. If you have the money and want to avoid the feel of large chain hotels, this is a great hotel to try.



MY MINI-GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY

Things to Do:

The Metropolitan Museum
Ellis Island
The Statue of Liberty

Places to Eat:

Lucky Cheng’s has Chinese food for adults.
Ruby Foo’s has Chinese food for families.
Pipa is next to Manhattan Mecca ABC Carpet & Home.
Starlight Diner is where singing servers bring your burgers.
Rue 57 fuses French and Japanese cuisine in Midtown.

Places to Stay:

The Roosevelt Hotel
The Hudson
Sheraton Manhattan
Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
New York Hilton

Broadway:

TKTS sells half-price tickets to Broadway shows.
Gypsy is Broadway at its best.
Rent is an unusual Broadway rock musical legend.
Wicked is a prequel to the Wizard of Oz.
Chicago is a classic.
Sweet Charity has a 60’s vibe.









Recommended: Yes