La Quinta Inn & Suites By Wyndham New York City Central Park

“Awesome! Will Stay Again”

I feel that any poor reviews are from people who do not have proper expectations and are unfamiliar with NYC and what constitutes a GOOD hotel. First off, Manhatten is old. The buildings are old. There are 2 million people living just in Manhattan, and it is doubled to 4 million people during wor... more

I feel that any poor reviews are from people who do not have proper expectations and are unfamiliar with NYC and what constitutes a GOOD hotel. First off, Manhatten is old. The buildings are old. There are 2 million people living just in Manhattan, and it is doubled to 4 million people during work days. Space is prime. If you can find a hotel room that is not only affordable, but clean, with its own private bathroom, AND in a fabulous location then you have A BIG WIN!! The La Quinta fits all of the above. It is a BIG WIN! Every employee we interacted with were polite and helpful. The woman who runs the morning breakfast room was exceptionally kind and hard-working. She must prepare hot food and keep restocking and cleaning in a small space for many people every day - and she really deserves a raise! We upgraded our room to the King Bed, and the upgrade was worth every penny. We scored a room that was MASSIVE by NYC standards! Meaning, we had a tile hall vestibule to enter the room [handy for our wet umbrellas on rainy days], a separate area with a writing desk, two small closets [we called them "his & hers"], and plenty of room to walk all around the bed [this is seriously a big deal in NYC]. We had packed light, so we had no issue finding room for things, but if you bring a big load of clothes and other stuff you will need to use your suitcase as your storage drawer. [PACK LIGHT] We had a good chuckle at the tiny bathroom with a sink barely the size of my two hands [washing your face is an adventure - and you might as well combine it with taking your shower]. Again, this is all NORMAL for a budget hotel in an old NYC building. What is important is that everything inside our room was spotlessly clean [older, yes, but CLEAN]. Our huge King-sized bed had a new mattress and was very comfortable. The small window unit kept the room appropriately heated or cooled as needed to the temperature we set. Because we were on the 2nd floor if someone smoked outside the front door of the hotel we would have to shut off the unit or it pulled in the cigarette smoke. This was only an issue 2 times out of 9 days. Yes, the elevator is very tiny and slow [NORMAL for an old NYC building]. We were on the second floor, and always used the stairs. So, if you can walk the stairs, I would recommend simply asking for a room on a lower floor and don't use the elevator. The location of this hotel is priceless. Just a half block to gorgeous Central Park - which is a destination to explore all on its own. a couple blocks north to the Natural History Museum, and a quick half-block walk to the 72nd Street Central Park subway station which is served by the B Train on weekdays, the C train all days of the week [except late nights], and the A train during late nights only. You can get everywhere you need to go from this station because the trains take you to Penn Station which literally connects you to everything else [subway/metro, Long Island Railroad, and bus lines]. We stayed at the La Quinta for 8 nights, so we bought a 1-week unlimited subway pass on our second day for $34 [each person needed their own pass] which covered all our rides to anywhere, and it saved us so much money [otherwise each ride is $4.60, so get yourself an unlimited pass!]. This hotel is located in a very safe, desirable Mid-Town West Side area just 4 blocks away from Lincoln Center [we walked one evening to a Metropolitan Opera performance], multiple delicious restaurants, and bakeries, and if you like to walk everywhere like us, then it is just a 15 min brisk walk [or 20-minute stroll] south to Times Square [we walked to and from our Broadway shows in mere minutes] - however, the hotel feels like a world away from all the chaos and noise of downtown/broadway/etc. DO NOT stay down there! [I once paid big bucks to stay at Marriott Times Square and had to endure sirens and street noise all night, plus it was required that I enter and exit through the Times Square madhouse every day. NOT worth it!] The La Quinta Central Park hotel is in the middle of a quiet one-way residential street with no traffic. Out of 8 nights, with a window facing the front of the hotel and being close to street level, we only heard a dog bark once, and a siren once from a distance. In other words, nights are peaceful here - which is unusual for Manhatten. PLEASE prepare yourself to understand that NYC is just like any very big city with millions of people - there is a lot of trash generated and it must be put out at the end of the day for late-night pick-up. This La Quinta must stack up their garbage bags at the end of the day. And, when you see that, it is a sign they are conscientious about keeping the property free of garbage each day. Just like the inside of the hotel, they keep the sidewalk and hotel entrance very clean. Arrive with appropriate expectations, and you will have a wonderful time. We will absolutely stay here again when we return to NYC, and have already recommended it to friends and family.

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