Let's face it- if you're visiting New York as a tourist, location is everything! You want to be in the heart of Manhattan, near all the tourist attractions. The Sheraton New York is conveniently located at 7th Avenue and W. 53rd street, so it's just a few blocks from Times Square, Rockefeller Center, 5th Avenue etc.

So, what can you expect for $200 a night? We stayed on a Saturday night, so club amenities were not available. The hotel has underground parking and the parking staff was certainly professional and friendly. They gave us the choice of carrying up our own bags and saving a few dollars or having the bellman come for them. The lobby is expansive and attractive and there was no wait to check-in. The check-in staff was extremely friendly, and that was a big plus. I don't like staying at hotels where the check-in staff greets you with a frown. Not only was the room we asked for available, but also when I asked for a higher floor, she put us on the 49th (out of 50) floor with a nice view of 7th avenue.

The hotel lobby has a bar and coffee shop and it is all smoke-free. The coffee shop offers Starbucks to go, as well as pastries and other snacks. We ordered a fruit bowl and the fruit was delectable. The hotel elevators were very fast and efficient and you never had to wait very long for them.

The room itself was small (approx. 260 square feet) but I sort of expected that for Manhattan at this price level. The bathroom was really too small for both my wife and I to use it at the same time, so we had to take turns using the bath. Everything was clean, although the Venetian blinds by the window needed some dusting. The bathroom was well stocked with shampoo, bath gel, body lotion etc. I found the ice bucket too small to ice down our bottle of champagne, so I used the metal trash bin in the bathroom. The king size bed had a great mattress and was very comfortable. Overall, the room was clean and quiet. The cleaning lady did try to enter the room right after we checked in- she really should have knocked. The turn down service came early (at 4 pm), we sent them away, but when we returned to our room at midnight, the bed had been turned down and chocolates were left on the pillows. They do not provide bathrobes like some of the better hotels I've stayed. During the night we heard street noise (i.e. Sirens, police vehicles) but I guess you can't really blame the hotel for that. The noise was bothersome though and I would suggest forgoing the view and asking for a room that faces the street rather than the Avenue.

A bit about the concierge- I inquired about a diner we walked by and she told us there were two diners in the area, the Stardust and Brooklyn. What she did not tell us, is if either of them had good food. We dined at the Stardust and the service was terrible. I would really expect the concierge to know the establishments in the neighborhood and recommend what is good or bad.

Overall, I liked the hotel, although I did not sleep all that well due to the street noise. If I were staying more than one night I really would want a larger room.


Recommended: Yes