AskTravis

Nice property, good location.

Ideally close to good espresso in the morning and decent access to somewhere to run, but downtown usually is pretty good since it's so narrow to get to the waterside trails.

Kacee

The Edition at Madison Square is geographically closest if your meetings are between 14th and 23rd. The Ren midtown would be a decent choice as well.

I'm not sure the FD will be materially more convenient to that area than midtown would be, either by car or subway.

FnF

I'm going to NY for the first time and would love to know about hotel discounts, Broadway ticket discounts and anything else. Thanks.

ms1

Hi guys,

I'm visiting New York for 5 nights across Nov/Dec this year with my wife to be for our honeymoon.

I'm a Marriott Gold member and I wanted to use my points to book our hotel. I've narrowed my choices down to JW Marriott Essex House and New York Marriott Marquis.

Can I get some opinions on which hotel is preferable? Location wise I'd prefer Marquis as it's closer to the action of Times Square but Essex House is a very good location also.

JW6130

Have you considered The Chatwal? It's an SPG property, but that's where I'd stay for an NYC honeymoon.

SkiAdcock

Could you explain why? (I mean it nicely, not snarky). Getting a recommendation w/o any reason for it doesn't help much.

Something that ms1 as a Gold will get at either Essex House or the Marquis is exec lounge access, which he won't get as a Gold at a SPG property. That may/may not factor into his decision as to where he stays.

Cheers.

United747

If it's your first trip to NYC, then I would recommend the Marquis, but otherwise, I would steer clear of that area.

ms1

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Chatwal looks amazing but requires double the amount of points for redemption so not sure whether I can justify this.

It'll be my 3rd trip to NYC but my partners first. On my previous trips I stayed at Sheraton Times Square and the Novotel Times Square. I really enjoyed both these hotels and their locations.

As I mentioned previously it's my partners first time to NYC so I think Marquis would be slightly more ideal than Essex House location wise. From what I've read on TripAdvisor it seems that Marquis is the newer product and that Essex House is in need for a refurb? For me I'd say that location is most important followed by size of the rooms and quality of the hard product.

Also which of the 2 is more likely to offer the better upgrade considering the occasion?

Thanks all for the feedback.

ms1

Can anyone also share their opinion on Ritz-Carlton Central Park? This hotel would set me back 280k reward points over 5 nights as oppose to 180k for Marriott Marquis and JW Essex House.

I've been in touch with Ritz-Carlton and note my gold status won't allow lounge access and will only provide an upgrade to their city view guest rooms (partial park view).

Is Ritz-Carlton worth the extra points? How are their city view guest rooms?

mikef07

I have stayed at all 3 and I would not pick the Marquis over the Essex house. IMO the Essex House and RC Central Park are the best locations in Manhattan. I will be going to NYC with my oldest son in December and am staying at the RC. I would absolutely spend 100K more in points, but I tend to easily accumulate points. I also always try to stay at the highest end property I can as the service, rooms, and hotel seem to be better.

ETA: You say it is for your honeymoon as well. Ritz no question if this is the case.

SkiAdcock

ms1 said location is most important, followed by size of rooms, quality of hard product, followed by potential upgrade. S/he has been to NYC before & liked the Times Square area, but partner hasn't. If that's the case they're probably going to be out & about doing things each day. The RC is nice, but no points on incidental, limited upgrade & no lounge does raise the question if the RC is worth an extra 100K. Having said all that, it's not like the Marquis/EssexHouse/RC are equivalent to Motel 6, so any would probably be fine.

Cheers.

mikef07

If location was most important then I would definitely go RC or Essex House. Being across from Central Park is an incredible area to be in. I did get upgraded both times I stayed at Ritz and all 3 times at Essex House and I did not ask at all.

SkiAdcock

Either would be good. If lounge is important to ms1, that might tip it to Essex House. In the EH property thread, reports are that upgrades are mixed (ie, none at all to suites).

Cheers.

mikef07

Yeah I have never gotten a suite. It has just been a better view room. Maybe slightly bigger and higher floor.

25milesfromhome

I think the best I've ever done is a slightly larger room with a park view. Still, I like the hotel.