Four Points Midtown, New York [Master Thread]
Jun 14, 2009, 4:15 pm
#16
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Santa Barbara, Ca
Posts: 487
New Four Points Manhatten
The good news: The location. The bad news: The Location.
Needed a room on short notice for one night in New York City. The rates across the board were all pretty low (with the exception of the St. Regis) Even the Westin Times Square was $200.00!
Found a rate of $139.00 plus tax with free Internet at the New Four Points. Looked on Trip Advisor-no information. Gave cab driver address on West 40th between 8th and 9th. He had never heard of it. Turned out the hotel is located in a seedy area on a seedy street adjacent to the Port Authority Bus Terminal which extends the entire length of 40th between 8th and 9th. The hotel shares the block with adult book stores, a seedy liquor store, and a run down sub-way entrance. The desk clerk told me they opened two weeks ago. 35 story building. 8 rooms per floor. 187 square feet. Flat screen TV, no bathtub. My room had two queen beds and desk. Pretty much filled up the room. Bottled water was free-nice touch! Tiny lobby. Narrow hallways. Tiny windowless restaurant. Small bar with 4 seats. Gym in the basement which I did not check out.
I suppose if you want to be near Times Square and the Theater district and don’t mind the 8th avenue sleaze to get there, it’s not all that bad. And especially if the price stays reasonable. (it wont)
But, if it’s a glamorous and or wonderful weekend in New York you’re looking for in a great location then this is NOT the place to be
Needed a room on short notice for one night in New York City. The rates across the board were all pretty low (with the exception of the St. Regis) Even the Westin Times Square was $200.00!
Found a rate of $139.00 plus tax with free Internet at the New Four Points. Looked on Trip Advisor-no information. Gave cab driver address on West 40th between 8th and 9th. He had never heard of it. Turned out the hotel is located in a seedy area on a seedy street adjacent to the Port Authority Bus Terminal which extends the entire length of 40th between 8th and 9th. The hotel shares the block with adult book stores, a seedy liquor store, and a run down sub-way entrance. The desk clerk told me they opened two weeks ago. 35 story building. 8 rooms per floor. 187 square feet. Flat screen TV, no bathtub. My room had two queen beds and desk. Pretty much filled up the room. Bottled water was free-nice touch! Tiny lobby. Narrow hallways. Tiny windowless restaurant. Small bar with 4 seats. Gym in the basement which I did not check out.
I suppose if you want to be near Times Square and the Theater district and don’t mind the 8th avenue sleaze to get there, it’s not all that bad. And especially if the price stays reasonable. (it wont)
But, if it’s a glamorous and or wonderful weekend in New York you’re looking for in a great location then this is NOT the place to be
Last edited by SanDiego1K; Jun 14, 2009 at 5:01 pm Reason: Moved into newly created master thread without edit
Jun 17, 2009, 4:37 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SoCal
Programs: UA Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 833
I'm Here Right Now!
I was in Boston earlier today, and have a 0630 flight from JFK tommorow morning.
My first option was to take Jetblue BOS-JFK and stay at the Sheraton JFK, and depart the next morning no problem. That option quickly came to an end when the Sheraton "ran out of rooms for points".
So I resorted to taking the Acela to Penn Station (never have) and stay in [almost] Times Sq/Manhattan (never have been here either). I arrive at Penn at 1450 and walk up to the street and get in the line for a cab. Cab ride takes 4-10 minutes and cost no more than $10 (my fare was $5.40).
The hotel is brand new and is really easy to miss. I walked in the small lobby and checked in. My room is on a high floor (33 floors total, with a 13th
(There are only 8 rooms on each floor).
After I got to my room and dropped my bags off, I walked off into the afternoon. Times Square is a 5 minute walk away (10-15 if you are like me and don't know where you are going).
I walked around for about an hour, ate at some Pizza place, and then started to wander back toward 40th between 8th and 9th
And thats where I am now...
The location really is not too bad...just not cleaned up. Yes, there are a few "DVD/Magazine Stores", but they are not unique to this area.
Room is standard, nice but small bathroom, and the 32 inch LCD TV.
One thing I did notice was that this place would be great if you run some kind of lab where you have all sorts of equipment. I count 24 power outlets (In a ~200 sq foot room)
I can't wait for super shuttle to come pick me up at 3am...
Oh yeah, here is a crappy cell phone pic or the wonderful view
My first option was to take Jetblue BOS-JFK and stay at the Sheraton JFK, and depart the next morning no problem. That option quickly came to an end when the Sheraton "ran out of rooms for points".
So I resorted to taking the Acela to Penn Station (never have) and stay in [almost] Times Sq/Manhattan (never have been here either). I arrive at Penn at 1450 and walk up to the street and get in the line for a cab. Cab ride takes 4-10 minutes and cost no more than $10 (my fare was $5.40).
The hotel is brand new and is really easy to miss. I walked in the small lobby and checked in. My room is on a high floor (33 floors total, with a 13th
(There are only 8 rooms on each floor).After I got to my room and dropped my bags off, I walked off into the afternoon. Times Square is a 5 minute walk away (10-15 if you are like me and don't know where you are going).
I walked around for about an hour, ate at some Pizza place, and then started to wander back toward 40th between 8th and 9th
And thats where I am now...The location really is not too bad...just not cleaned up. Yes, there are a few "DVD/Magazine Stores", but they are not unique to this area.
Room is standard, nice but small bathroom, and the 32 inch LCD TV.
One thing I did notice was that this place would be great if you run some kind of lab where you have all sorts of equipment. I count 24 power outlets (In a ~200 sq foot room)
I can't wait for super shuttle to come pick me up at 3am...
Oh yeah, here is a crappy cell phone pic or the wonderful view
Last edited by murphyUA; Jun 17, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Jun 22, 2009, 11:21 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Plat, DL Plat
Posts: 103
I ended up trying this out while hopping around on my platinum quest. Agree with the reviews I've seen above. Hotel was fine, but the area was pretty gnarly and the view of the Port Authority was none too pretty.
On another note, I would say the hotel room was nicer and didn't have the odd old dank smoke smell of the rooms I have had at the Sheraton Towers or Manhattan.
On another note, I would say the hotel room was nicer and didn't have the odd old dank smoke smell of the rooms I have had at the Sheraton Towers or Manhattan.
Jun 22, 2009, 12:17 pm
#20
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: Starwood Platinum, United Premier Executive
Posts: 281
Arguably, the location would be "Four Points-Hells Kitchen" but that's only going to be attractive to people who know how hot Hells Kitchen (Clinton) is as a neighborhood.
When you see the development a block away (the new NYT building) and the gentrification of Hells Kitchen and the area around Port Authority, this is going to be a hot location in a couple of years and I can see why lots of people who go to NYC for fun (as opposed to work) might choose this location.
Think of all the doubters who questioned Four Points-Chelsea and let's not forget how desolate 25th Street used to be right outside the Chelsea location. Now, it's completely different.
When you see the development a block away (the new NYT building) and the gentrification of Hells Kitchen and the area around Port Authority, this is going to be a hot location in a couple of years and I can see why lots of people who go to NYC for fun (as opposed to work) might choose this location.
Think of all the doubters who questioned Four Points-Chelsea and let's not forget how desolate 25th Street used to be right outside the Chelsea location. Now, it's completely different.
Jun 22, 2009, 3:01 pm
#21
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 108
Review
I stayed one night at this Four Points to check it out. The service was friendly and excellent and it's always nice to have a room in new construction, but overall, I prefer the other properties in the city.
I arrived at 8:30 AM simply to drop my bag off for the day, but the bell staff suggested that I see about checking in early, and the desk clerks were happy to allow me to do so. I was given a room on the 14th floor (I was hoping for 13!). The room was typical. I think it was larger than the rooms at the Chelsea Four Points. The bathroom was... clean. That's all that was good about it. It was really really cheaply built. The shower walls felt like plastic. It has a glass door that opened out instead of sliding; I was curious and was able to hook the handle on the shower door to the latch on the bathroom door! I am sure there will be plenty of problems with that. The toilet was clogged when I got there (first flush did not work) and the friendly fellow who arrived about fifteen minutes after I called to have it fixed said "this is happening a lot". There is a tiny shelf over the sink. They would have been better building a slightly larger bathroom at the expense of space in the bedroom.
Every person I talked to who worked at the hotel was friendly and helpful. Service was good. I had breakfast in the restaurant, and it was well prepared (though service was slow, considering there were only two guests in the room at 7 AM).
The location is odd. My room overlooked the port authority rooftop parking lot, and you can hear the busses and ventilation system from port authority all night long. There are some seedy stores between 8th Ave and the hotel, but the neighborhood did not seem unsafe during the day.
I'd stay here if it were really cheap or I needed on more night for a Starwood promo, but I can't see staying here again if one of the other NYC Starwood properties were affordable, even if somewhat more expensive.
I arrived at 8:30 AM simply to drop my bag off for the day, but the bell staff suggested that I see about checking in early, and the desk clerks were happy to allow me to do so. I was given a room on the 14th floor (I was hoping for 13!). The room was typical. I think it was larger than the rooms at the Chelsea Four Points. The bathroom was... clean. That's all that was good about it. It was really really cheaply built. The shower walls felt like plastic. It has a glass door that opened out instead of sliding; I was curious and was able to hook the handle on the shower door to the latch on the bathroom door! I am sure there will be plenty of problems with that. The toilet was clogged when I got there (first flush did not work) and the friendly fellow who arrived about fifteen minutes after I called to have it fixed said "this is happening a lot". There is a tiny shelf over the sink. They would have been better building a slightly larger bathroom at the expense of space in the bedroom.
Every person I talked to who worked at the hotel was friendly and helpful. Service was good. I had breakfast in the restaurant, and it was well prepared (though service was slow, considering there were only two guests in the room at 7 AM).
The location is odd. My room overlooked the port authority rooftop parking lot, and you can hear the busses and ventilation system from port authority all night long. There are some seedy stores between 8th Ave and the hotel, but the neighborhood did not seem unsafe during the day.
I'd stay here if it were really cheap or I needed on more night for a Starwood promo, but I can't see staying here again if one of the other NYC Starwood properties were affordable, even if somewhat more expensive.
Jun 23, 2009, 2:52 am
#22
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
Oct 27, 2009, 12:21 pm
#24
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 181
This is a burgeoning hotel location. On 40th is the Four Points, a Fairfield, The Distrikt (Ascend Collection), an under construction Staybridge. On 39th is a Comfort, Hampton, Holidy Inn Express, and a Candlewood. An Element is under construction on that block as well.
Oct 27, 2009, 6:45 pm
#25
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA,USA
Programs: AA Plat, DL Gold, UAL Premier, SPG Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 566
Like some of the otehr posters, I booked this place out of curiousity. As I walked down 8th Ave from Penn Station with my luggage, I said to myself "Holy Sh**! This place is in Port Authority!" Well not exactly but close. My theory on the location is that Starwood sensed that there was a perception of NYC built up in the 1970s, and that people visiting its other hotels kept complaining "Where's the urban decay?", and so they put it on this block to give people a "real
" New York experience.
Some touches still need work (couldn't they have replaced the elevator buttons on the first floor). You may want to request a north facing view - since the large, low slung PA is across the street, you get a decent view looking uptown.
" New York experience.Some touches still need work (couldn't they have replaced the elevator buttons on the first floor). You may want to request a north facing view - since the large, low slung PA is across the street, you get a decent view looking uptown.
Nov 8, 2009, 7:47 pm
#26
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leesburg, VA AA EXP, 2MM lifetime
Programs: SPG PLT, Hyatt Diamond, 10% progress towards lifetime Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,330
Review
I booked a reservation here recently, and completed a stay this past weekend. The address of the hotel, when punched into Google Maps, showed this hotel on the East Side of Manhattan. I knew this wasn’t right, since it’s listed as a Times Square property.
A phone call to the property confirmed that it’s on 40th between 8th and 9th. Uh, isn’t that behind the Port Authority, I thought? Yikes.
So, coming from Times Square or points East, be aware it’s an interesting walk down the block. The area is in a state of transition, but a lot better now than it used to be.
Upon arrival at a very new looking building, I was checked into a suite on the 32nd floor. It had a very big living room (palatial by Manhattan standards) with a flatscreen TV, couch, soft seating, desk and fridge.
A set of double doors separated the bedroom, with a very comfortable king-sized bed and another flat screen. A sliding door to the bathroom, with an oversized shower.
Everything was very clean. Shower pressure was great. TV wasn’t awesome, but good enough. Well lit. Elevators were very quick by NYC standards. Staff was very polite and diligent. No argument here about a 4pm late check-out, unlike the war I had at Le Parker Meridien.
All in all, I would definitely stay here again. At a rate of sub-$300 for Manhattan, proximity to Times Square, Penn Station, most of the major subway lines and the Javitz Center, this is an easy choice for me. Especially if they keep giving me the suite upgrade. The walk down the block isn’t that bad.
A phone call to the property confirmed that it’s on 40th between 8th and 9th. Uh, isn’t that behind the Port Authority, I thought? Yikes.
So, coming from Times Square or points East, be aware it’s an interesting walk down the block. The area is in a state of transition, but a lot better now than it used to be.
Upon arrival at a very new looking building, I was checked into a suite on the 32nd floor. It had a very big living room (palatial by Manhattan standards) with a flatscreen TV, couch, soft seating, desk and fridge.
A set of double doors separated the bedroom, with a very comfortable king-sized bed and another flat screen. A sliding door to the bathroom, with an oversized shower.
Everything was very clean. Shower pressure was great. TV wasn’t awesome, but good enough. Well lit. Elevators were very quick by NYC standards. Staff was very polite and diligent. No argument here about a 4pm late check-out, unlike the war I had at Le Parker Meridien.
All in all, I would definitely stay here again. At a rate of sub-$300 for Manhattan, proximity to Times Square, Penn Station, most of the major subway lines and the Javitz Center, this is an easy choice for me. Especially if they keep giving me the suite upgrade. The walk down the block isn’t that bad.
Jan 5, 2010, 1:33 am
#28
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Singapore
Programs: SPG Lifetime Gold
Posts: 247
Jan 5, 2010, 1:56 am
#29
Used to be bulldoggolfer05
Join Date: May 2007
Location: São Paulo, BR/Miami Beach, FL/NYC/DXB
Programs: HGP DMD, HHonors DMD, SPG PLT, MR PLT
Posts: 2,295
. The Chelsea property is the oldest of the three Four Points in Manhattan anyways.There is a pretty extensive review thread here for the property. Calling it Times Square is more of a marketing gimmick than an actual accuracy, though that may be a good or bad thing depending on your prerogative of Times Square. Yes, it is a short walk to the thick of Times Square, but it's in Midtown West bordering Hell's Kitchen.
From the reviews I've seen, the property itself is quite nice (though small, similar to Four Points SoHo) but the location leaves a bit to be desired. For the price point though, I'd say it's a great value.
Jan 5, 2010, 2:10 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Singapore
Programs: SPG Lifetime Gold
Posts: 247
If you don't know, it's usually best not to attempt to offer insight . The Chelsea property is the oldest of the three Four Points in Manhattan anyways.
Calling it Times Square is more of a marketing gimmick than an actual accuracy, though that may be a good or bad thing depending on your prerogative of Times Square. Yes, it is a short walk to the thick of Times Square, but it's in Midtown West bordering Hell's Kitchen.
From the reviews I've seen, the property itself is quite nice (though small, similar to Four Points SoHo) but the location leaves a bit to be desired. For the price point though, I'd say it's a great value.
. The Chelsea property is the oldest of the three Four Points in Manhattan anyways.Calling it Times Square is more of a marketing gimmick than an actual accuracy, though that may be a good or bad thing depending on your prerogative of Times Square. Yes, it is a short walk to the thick of Times Square, but it's in Midtown West bordering Hell's Kitchen.
From the reviews I've seen, the property itself is quite nice (though small, similar to Four Points SoHo) but the location leaves a bit to be desired. For the price point though, I'd say it's a great value.
So what I do know is that Four Points is usually not great, and the location isn't ideal. So that's my insight.