W Times Square

My husband & I travel to NYC several times a year for fun. Each time we have stayed somewhere different. We stayed at the W Times Square over Thanksgiving in 2003 since we wanted to be near the parade route. We booked a wonderful room and thought it was extremely spacious for a NY hotel. The Blue Fin bar was nice but the drinks were expensive. We went there once just for the atmosphere. It was nice not to have the lobby on the ground floor since the Times Square is so hectic. It is a great location if you plan to see some broadway shows. I loved the hotel but would not stay there again just b/c of the location. It is way too chaotic.

We stayed here for a weekend last May. The rooms were nice, the bedding was heaven! Although the modern design of the bathroom didn't account for the fact that you might actually want to use the shower! The water went everywhere. The Lobby club was fun and drew a good crowd. However, the club music pumped into the elevator was a little much the next morning. The Resturant the Blue Fin was a little dissapointing, I had a large chunk of egg shell with my breakfast. Overall it was fun for a short stay.

I stayed here for a month on business: Pros- modern relaxed feel/Good bar and restaurant Cons- the service is quite awful for the prices charged. The unknowledgable staff think they are so cool they come across as just unhelpful/bordering rude. Tiny Gym. Check your Room bill/Amex bill carefully.

My boyfriend and I spent a night at the W Times Square around New Years. Having had some not-so-great experiences at other Manhattan hotels the W was a very nice surprise. This hotel is very chic and hip from its decor to its guests. The automatic checkin is a plus and the front desk staff is equally as helpful. The rooms are larger than many other NYC hotels and are very nicely decorated. We had a very comfortable king size bed with exceptional sheets and duvet. The bathroom is also spacious with a nice shower and is stocked with Aveeda toiletries. There is a snack and mini bar, tv/vcr/dvd, cable with HBO, internet connection...you feel well taken care of. I would, however, stay away from Blue Fin Restaurant which is located within the hotel - the food was bland and the service was terrible - there are much better food choices in the area.

I cannot sing the praises of the W Times Square enough! Upon arrival, I was greeted by the friendly and helpful "bell hop" Charles. He led me to check-in through the W's beautiful reception area on the 7th floor, where my check-in was completed quickly! I had originally been given a room with only one king bed, but the gentleman at reception managed to find me a room with two double beds; definitely much more condusive to my needs (I had my 6 year old daughter with me). While the room was small, the beds were comfortable, the bathroom clean and roomy, and the amenities fulfilling. The wherever/whenever staff was extremely helpful, and the likes of Jose, John, Frankie, Joe, and the rest of the W crew made me feel as though the W was my home! The staff even began to greet me by my name! Also, the location of the W made it ideal for my needs. Only 3 blocks up and 4 blocks over was Rockefeller Center, and as for Madison Ave., it was a short taxi ride away (and either Jose or Joe was there to hail me a cab :-) ) My stay at the W was a perfect experience, and it will be one I will never forget!

We stayed in the W hotel Dec. 13-16. We were on the 22nd floor and had a beautiful view of Times Square. The location was ideal for the theater and evening dinners. Upon arriving, our room was freezing. Maintanence was prompt in fixing the problem. The room is rather small, that was to be expected. Our king size bed was the ultimate, and what I expect from the Westin chain. What I really was unhappy about was that I could hear in perfect detail the conversations of the people in the room next door. We had a connneting door in our room, so that could have been a reason for the noise. I know they could also hear me. They were not loud, just the room had no noise control. The shower was a walk in with a glass wall that did not cover but about half of the opening. Water goes out of the opening no matter how careful you are and you never can really get warm taking your shower. The Blue Fin restaurant was pricey, and good, but not as good as the reviews were. The staff was good, the bar was cool. The hotel is very dark, (the hallways are black) and very modern. I think it was my least favorite Westin hotel that I had stayed in and the most expensive. So , like I said, I didn't love it, nor did I hate it!

We visited NYC in mid-Oct. and stayed at the W Hotel in Times Square and the Fitzpatrick Hotel at Grand Central Station (E 44th & Lexington). Both hotels were very clean, the rooms were adequate size for 2 adults, and the beds were very comfortable. The W Hotel is located right in the center of the theater district which is very convenient but you will get the noise fron taxi cab horns, traffic, etc. The Fitzpatrick is located just steps from Grand Central Station which allows you to catch a subway to anywhere. The W Hotel has very dark hallways and the rooms are decorated in an ultra-modern way with only a shower in the bathroom. Also, we were on the 25th floor and the closest ice machine I could find (on the way down) that was working was on the 21st floor. The Fitzpatrick did not have a chest to store clothes but did have adequate shelves in the closet and the bottom half of the entertainment center. If you don't mind riding the subway (which we used extensively with absolutely no problems at all) the Fitzgerald is a much better value. I would also recommend getting a NYC Pass on the internet and use a Mastercard to get a 3 Day Pass at the 2 Day price ($69) if it is still available. The pass gives you free access to virtually everything you would want to see and do and allows you to avoid long lines at many of the attractions. You also get a Metrocard pass for unlimited bus and subway travel. We picked up our NYC Pass at Madame Tussaud's at 42nd & 8th Avenue. Another way to save money in NYC is to purchase A NYC Entertainment card and book for $25. We more than paid for the book with the savings we enjoyed on excellent meals at Broadway Joe's Steak House and DaMarino's Italian Restaurant, both in the theatre district. We also tried to use the card at Mustang Sally's but they said they did not honor it even though they were listed in the Entertainment book. We really enjoyed our trip to NYC. The W Hotel and the Fitzpatrick at GCS are great places to stay and virtually everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful.

My wife and I went to NYC to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary, and we wanted to stay near Times Sq. to be "at the center of it all." If that is what you desire, you won't be disappointed by the location of this hotel--it is quite literally a 20-second walk to the center of all the action! The hotel is, as advertised, quite chic and modern. We found the room--a "spectacular" room on the 52nd floor--to be comfortable and well-appointed, though by no means spacious. I'd read much about how small are NYC hotel rooms, so the room actually exceeded my expectations, though the bathroom was especially tight. King bedrooms come with only a shower stall (no tub). Our "spectacular" view turned out to be dominated by the Marriott Marquis across the street, though by craning our necks we could see a bit of Times Sq. I was surprised by the condition of the hotel--although it is only a couple of years old, it is already showing signs of wear. There were quite a few scuffs on the walls in our room, and the chair had a big stain right in the middle of the seat cushion (eeeeww--what was THAT, we wondered?). The hotel just doesn't seem built to last, which may indicate that they plan frequent renovations (the overall concept of this hotel chain is questionable--what is chic and trendy today will look dated in 3 years). The biggest disappointment was the lobby/ bar area, which we did not find inviting at the least. It was dimly lit, had a fairly low ceiling, and to our taste looked rather dreary. It was frequently filled with a very loud crowd of twenty- and thirty-somethings, and the acoustics of the place left much to be desired (not at all "Zen-like," as the marketing propaganda states). Just off the lobby, there are three sets of elevators servicing various levels in the hotel, and the passages back to the elevators were ridiculously narrow. We got clipped by people and/or baggage carts nearly every time we walked to or from the elevator. The staff was competent and friendly, though I don't think anyone was over 30. They all wear black, and mostly look like aspiring actor/model wannabees. That they refer to themselves not as "staff," but as "cast members" gives a clue! Overall, though, we enjoyed our stay. If you wish to stay near Times Sq., this is a good bet. Just make sure you know what you're in for--there's lots of action in the area, but with that action comes noise and huge crowds, day and night. We could hear quite a bit of noise up on the 52nd floor--I can't imagine what it would be like on a lower floor! We also found that hailing a taxi outside the hotel took a while, up to 15-20 minutes at the busiest times of the day. If you are rushing out to make a dinner reservation, you will need to take this into account.

Let me start by saying I got an amazing price here (under $200) by booking on line directly with the hotel 2 months in advance and using their AAA rate. Because my rate was so low I wondered if my room would also be low (I had requested a high floor) and when I checked in I discovered I had been placed on the 17th floor with a limited view. The room itself was very well appointed and extremely comfortable and quiet but I was hoping for a better view. I phoned the welcome desk and asked if there was anything else available and they said not that night there wasn't, but they promised to check for me the next day (I was staying for 7 nights). I didn't expect much to happen but the next day I was moved up to the 31st floor with a stunning view of Times Square, they had not forgotten about me and went out of their way to make sure I had the room I wanted, bravo. The service every step of the way was excellent, including the whenever/whatever service (on the day I left I phoned this service to ask if they had anything I could wrap some framed pictures in that I had bought and within 5 minutes someone was at my door with a box of bubble wrap)! The room was spotlessly clean, very quiet for Times Square (and very large as well for the location) and full of great amenities. The bathrobes were the most comfortable I have ever worn so I ended up buying one. I have stayed in a lot of different NYC hotels but I have found my new home away from home with the W Times Square. For those other reviewers that may have had concerns I wonder if they brought them to the attention of the staff because I am sure they would have recieved the same positive experience I did if they had.

I have several different hotels in NYC as a tourist, but this has been the best experience yet. Not only is the hotel ideally located right in the middle of Times Square, the beds, decor, and staff were great all great!! One staff member helped me clear up a problem w/my reservation, and for all my trouble they upgraded us to a high floor room. I will definitely not stay anywhere else next time I visit. The Blue Fin restaurant downstairs is also a great for breakfast!