senor_jefe

After too much searching and reading, I still haven't found anything on this hotel. Has anybody stayed there? Is it new?

It is right next to our office in NYC, and is showing rates at $169/nt for my next trip there when all other hotels are north of $300/nt.

Anybody?

Skyman65

I just checked out from there this morning. I was there for the past 4 days. It is a new Hampton, but not a new hotel. It is a bit aged, but not too bad. They had new bedding, curtains, furniture, and it looked like remodeled bathrooms. Carpet in my room was old and had some stains. The free breakfast was your standard HI fare.

I thought the location was very good, just one block off Broadway between W51st and W52nd streets on 8th Ave. There are plenty of good restaurants in the neighborhood.

edgewood

this is the old howard johnsons on eighth avenue, which was "el dumpo grande"

when i walked by it last week it was half torn down- i mean the right half of the building seemed to have been stripped to the steel

that's what you call a "major renovation"!!

so i think you are living in a construction zone- which is why it was so cheap

but when i looked in sept, i found:


Hampton Inn Manhattan-Times Square North, NY

851 Eighth Avenue @ 51st Street
New York, New York, United States, 10019
1-212-581-4100
0.3 miles from city center

Available

From 339.00
USD / night

thats not your $169!!

stay elsewhere- then check it out before you book to make sure it is up-and-running

even the old places, like the milford plaza, the pennsylvania, the new yorker, raised their prices due to the influx of foreigners to whom $200/nite is cheap in their currency

KENNECTED

I feel that this is another hotel label for one neighborhood, yet located in another! lol

Somebody was being "creative"! NOT!

They could have easily called the the "Hampton Inn - Hell's Kitchen"

I hope people don't book this property, THINKING its located on/near or adjacent to Times Square.

Yes, you can "see" times square from this property but its 11 blocks north of Times Square.

jkc22

Well.....given the Westin "Times Square" got away with it, so can this HI....

On the upside, the area is much better now than what it used to be. Lots of old buildings were replaced with new "luxury" apartments and office buildings, so the area is pretty much gentrified.......

KENNECTED

The Westin Times Square IS in the Times Square neighborhood/Business District, so i'm not sure what you mean by "got away with it".

Skyman65

No, it is not IN Times Square. But come on, it's only about a five minute walk from there. 11 blocks north? Maybe from the south end of Times Square! Talk about your false advertising. It is about a two minutes walk from most of the major shows, including "Wicked" right across the street.

KENNECTED

The Westin IS in the Times Square business improvment district, which runs from Eighth Avenue over to bway or 7th depending on what street your located on.

the spine of the TS District runs from along 42 street between, bway to eight avenue. The westin being on the corner of 43/8th Avenue is in the heart of the times square district.

And your right, 11 blocks is nothing, but to someone who has no knowledge of NYC or doesn't do their homework here on Flyertalk ( ), they might find it mislabeling.

EricH

Okay, in an attempt to settle this, I'll say that the Westin is a block away from Times Square. A very valuable block, IMO. This hotel is further, which is better. You can easily get to Times Square from there, but then you can get away. That's a good thing.

I appreciate the concern that this hotel's designation may endanger its neighborhood, but I wouldn't worry about it.

kawoh

Hi - have just been in the US for the past few weeks, and thoroughly enjoyed a stay at the Hampton Inn, Times Square North. The hotel is superb, it was the old howard johnson which has been gutted and reinvigortated. from new bathrooms, new wallpaper, great beds, etc.

This property is better than the Sheraton NY Towers which you will pay more for mostly. The rooms are of a reasonable size, including 2 queen size beds which is often a rare in NYC, and if you want, ask for a king room study (it actually isn't a seperate study) it just features a king size bed, with a pull out queen size bed on a couch instead of the single couch with 2 queens in the other rooms. These rooms (only 4 per floor) are slightly larger, and OK if you want to share beds or have 3 in the room.

Breakfast is included downstairs, they lock the door so no one can come in after a certain time. it features eggs, ham or sausage, cereals, milk, fruits, yoghurts, plenty of pastries, toast, juices, waffles. Great value. There are free apples at the reception all the time, and a coffee/hot choclate/tea machine available at all times.

As a HHonors gold - standard fare of a kellog's K bar and a bottle of water as the amenity. Three lifts to get up and around, reasonably quick considering the size of the hotel. hotel is in a great location (next to rite aid, which is next to the Blue A/C/E, i think the C/E may only stop here, can't be sure. It is just across from the theatre that wicked plays. Cheap chinese takeaway just a block away. And my favourity (a couple blocks - Mee's noodle house) towards 8th ave.

It is a cat 4 property and is 30,000 HHonors points, would recommend this as a choice in times square, even over the Hilton NY.

KathyWdrf

Any updates/recent stays at this property? (I've booked a stay here.)

Irrover

Kathy

I'm sure you already checked Trip Advisor but they have several new reviews.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._New_York.html

KathyWdrf

Those reviews look pretty positive overall (at least the first several). It's definitely a "value for money" proposition -- that's why I booked it.

But it's also important to me to read the point of view of people I know, whose opinion I respect, who are frequent travelers, and who collect miles, points, and status -- in other words, a lot of FlyerTalkers who post regularly here.

kawoh

Hi - have again stayed at this property in April. Yet again, taken away by the value propsosition this hotel offers. My rate varied from $179-199/night. This was great value considering the next cheapest option other than priceline was $279/night at the Sheraton NYC Towers. Granted I'd probably get lounge access there and a great fitness centre, for the saving of at least $80/night it wasn't worth it. Besides that I was also qualifying for the 5/10/15 Hilton promo, get my extra status nights with HHonors and saving good $ at the same time.

To the property - renovations which were occuring still on Sep/Oct 05 are now complete. The hotel is great, had a wonderful room on the 9 floor (there are 11 floors in total). Try to ask for a room on say the 7th floor+ so you can avoid the early morning traffic (it's not that bad but may annoy some). I also generally ask for a room away from the elevator. Got my hhonors amenity of corn chips and water.

Breakfast downstairs is still wonderful (make sure you try to go about 8am before the 9am+ crowds come in). They rotate the hot dishes (there are about 7 different types, 1 type a day with 2 items in there). The free wireless internet went down a treat, 2 queen beds, basically brand new except using the shell (think Westin Las vegas - which was gutted and remodelled - no sign of the HoJO here anymore). Cookies at about 5pm onwards in the evenings. Fitness room (with 3 joggers, 2 step machines and a bike plus a single weight machine). Location is just superb, C/E subway just one block down. This property is on 8th and 51st. SO many subway lines nearby. This is in the heart of the great theatre area (Julia Roberts in 3 days rain on 8th and 45th, Wicked and Spelling Bee on 50 and 8th, Mamma Mia just 1 block away, Jersey Boys just 1 block away, etc, etc. Plenty of cheap food nearby, plus there is a Gristedes (24 hours supermarket) a couple mins walk away, and a Food Emporium and Rite Aid around the corner. 10-15 min walk to central park and the CNN / Columbus Circle shopping centre.

Staff are efficient. Cleaning staff are great, replacing all amenities daily. Cooling and heating system is excellent. Study table for you to work on your laptop, helpful conceirge and bell staff. Hotel has about 300-400 rooms, so isn't too big. Breakfast room staff were friendly and always asked how your day was, etc.

If you're in NYC - this is a great value proposition. Hilton NY is a little far from Times Square compared to this property and a little further away. This is now my #1 choice in NYC for value, followed by the Millenium Hilton Downtown (which is generally dearer) where Golds get Jr Suites, Hot Breakfast and access to their excellent gym and pool (esp good rates on w/ends and opposite c21), as long as you are comfortable not being around times square (tho the subway is just next door).

mcgahat

I stayed at this property last week mainly because my number one property in NYC the Millenium Hilton had a rate of like $500+ per night and although the rate at the Hampton was $299/night I had a "Be My Guest" cert that I needed to use and seemed like as good a place as any.

Check in was pretty efficient given that there was a huge group check in going on when I arrive. The front desk did a good job with any requests during the stay.

I found the room very comfortable and liked that the TV had a full swivel base so I could keep it turned fully towards the work desk next to the TV or towards the chair in the room. The room was pretty good sized for a standard room and I had a view of 8th avenue. I didnt get a lot of noise from the street on the 7th floor but that may not be the case on the lower floors. I like the decor of the room and the bed was comfortable. I did get a lot of noise from the hallway, almost like the door was open anytime people talked in the hallway and I dont think it was them but a poorly insulated door. I didnt get much noise from the neighboring rooms.

I didnt get near the breakfast during the times that I woke up as it was soo packed as it always seems to be a the Hampton Inns so I went down to Cosmic diner on the corner. There are a lot of restaurants in the area and you are near the theatre district so if that is your thing that is a big plus also.

Overall I really liked the location but it was still not as nice as the Millenium (no surprise there of course) so I have to weigh the convenience of the Hampton to the luxury of the Millenium...of course rate is a factor too.