With over 500 hotels to choose from in Manhattan, how do you ever find the right choice for your trip to New York City?
My recommendation is to narrow it down based on where you’ll be spending the most time, saving time and expense of a subway ride, cab, or bus, and then narrow it down even further based on your budget. That’s exactly what we did when planning our stay in New York City and selected the Park Terrace Hotel (the website is here) across from Bryant Park.
With its prime Midtown Manhattan location, the Park Terrace hotel offers unpretentious, urban chic, 4-star luxury with lots of amenities. You’re steps away from most everything you’ll want to do.
You’d be forgiven if you thought you were in the wrong location; the hotel facade looks more like an upscale apartment complex with a staffed lobby than a hotel entrance – and the never-ending construction in Manhattan, and accompanying scaffolding, doesn’t help either. The double door entryway leads to a small lobby that has a few chairs and an unassuming front desk that also provides concierge services. It felt sophisticated, without obsequiousness, and all our interaction with the front desk was quick and helpful.
We stayed in a Classic Room on the 12th floor, not much of a view since we’re surrounded by skyscrapers, but the floor to ceiling windows and natural decor gave it a bright, spacious feel. The room had a queen-sized bed, with a small nightstand on each site. There wasn’t much room to put anything on the nightstand (barely room for my charging phone and a book), but a shelf below helped expand the space. This was the theme of the room, and in fact, much of Manhattan, maximizing a small space with pieces that do double-duty.
The workspace was relatively spacious, with lots of plugins and USB ports, but much of it was taken up with the Nespresso machine and its accouterments. There was room to work, but not spread out, and I found myself primarily working for bed. On a very happy note, there was good light over the bed and the complimentary wi-fi was blazing fast with no connectivity issues.
Despite its location in a very busy neighborhood, the room was quiet. Window treatment included black-out drapes for the light-sensitive. The privacy drapes alone were fine for me.
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All storage space was located in the closet, which had room for hanging, a shelf, and two shallow drawers. It didn’t seem quite sufficient for two people traveling with both business and leisure clothing, but it worked better than I thought it would. There was ample space for only one person, but one more drawer in the desk space would have been perfect for the two of us. Also in the closet was a robe (only one), yoga mat, resistance bands, hairdryer, and iron. There were complimentary on-demand yoga programs offered on the television, but our schedule was too hectic to give it a try.
The small bathroom had a walk-in rain shower, marble sink (not much counter space), and good lighting. Malin + Goetz full-sized products were in the bathroom, a nod to their sustainable hotel practices, but don’t walk off with them – a charge will be added to your room bill.
Each floor at the Park Terrace has a complimentary hydration station and amenity closet. The hydration station features purified water for unlimited refills of your water bottle. Don’t have a water bottle? Plastic ones are available in the closet, you’re encouraged to refill during your stay and then recycle rather than replace for each use. Or, you can purchase a S’well water bottle from the front desk and take it with you. The amenity closet has all those things that you’ve forgotten – toothbrush, mouthwash, razors, earplugs, and more. They’re small and disposable, not as eco-friendly as if you had your own with you, but it does the trick in a pinch.
A gym and sauna are located in the basement of the hotel, rounding out the hotel’s commitment to wellness and is available at no charge to guests.
Included in your room rate is a breakfast bar in the Terazzo Room (located on the 6th floor), hours vary so confirm when you check-in. It’s an extensive assortment of European and American choices including meat and cheese, fruit, a variety of breads, yogurt and toppings, coffee and tea, and juices.
During evening happy hour time, the Terrazzo turns into an Italian theme cocktail lounge. We visited during winter, so checked out the view from the outdoor terrace and watched people skating in Bryant Park, and imagine during the nicer weather that this is a hot spot for a cocktail.
There isn’t a restaurant on site currently, but an opening is planned for later in 2020. La Pecora Bianca (it means “the white sheep”) will offer all-day dining and feature an Italian menu.
The Park Terrace Hotel is located at 18 West 40th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues) in New York City. The Bryant Park subway station is at the end of the block and serves the B, D, F, M, and 7 lines. If you wish a cab or a rideshare, the front desk will call one for you. Rates at the Park Terrace start around $250 per night. Book your stay directly online at the hotel website or try Booking.com or Hotels.com for a better deal.
