Wellington Hotel New York

In the center of New York City, on the corner of West 57 Street and 7^th Avenue, looking very much a part of the busy Midtown Manhattan neighborhood, is the bright gold facade that identifies the entrance of Wellington Hotel New York. This historic hotel is over a century old and has provided beautiful accommodations to guests from across every continent. As a guest of the Wellington Hotel, located at 871 Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, there is little need to make use of your car or a cab as virtually every type of New York attraction you could want is within walking distance or easily accessible via the subway or bus stops located very close to the hotel.

As a single mom who wanted to take her two daughters to experience the sights of New York City, the affordable rates of the Wellington Hotel were a good fit for my tight vacation budget. Our room was decorated in a simple yellow, cream, and brown color palette, accented by perfectly honed dark wood, a perfect complement to the more regal look of the lobby. The girls were in awe and felt the entire hotel although just a bit dated and well worn, it was clean and had that step back in time feel that actually enhanced our entire experience.

Great features include:

• 500 exceptionally decorated accommodations with stunning views of New York City from the upper floor guest rooms.
• Over 80 one bedroom suites available with kitchenettes.
• Fine dining on site at Molyvos, which serves award winning Mediterranean fare
• Casual dining of Park Café, perfect for a full American breakfast, lunch or an after the show snack.
• Room Service available from 6 a.m. to midnight.
• Over 70 restaurants, including the Manhattan Deli, within easy walking distance.
• All rooms offer private baths, cable TV, voicemail, and seasonal air conditioning.
• In room amenities include a clock radio, hairdryer, iron and ironing board.
• Pay per View, and in room wireless Internet access available for an additional charge.
• Additional onsite services include valet parking, hairdresser, valet laundry and cleaning,
• Twenty four hour business center as well as per transaction fax service and use of hard wired lobby computers or rental of a wireless modem.
• Complimentary safe deposit boxes available from the front desk.

Best Features

Upon arrival, you’ll be delighted to discover that by far one of the greatest advantages to this hotel is its proximity to the many different locations for event, shopping and sightseeing of Midtown Manhattan and New York City. The theatre district complete with Broadway shows, City Center and of course the world renowned, Carnegie Hall are all within easy walking distance.

Just two blocks away is hustle and activity of Central Park and depending on your stride, about ten steps from the front entrance of the hotel is the subway which will hustle you to the over the Lincoln Center complex on New York’s Upper West side, the Museum of Modern Art at Rockefeller Center several blocks away, and of course the “can’t miss” shopping experience of Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue.

Guests throughout the year and particularly those with families might want to consider a return trip to book deluxe accommodations on one of the upper floors which feature a view of Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade as it progresses down 7^th Avenue.

Potential Downsides

If there is a downside to the Wellington Hotel New York its only for those who are a little more tech savvy and want to make frequent use of the high speed wireless Internet access. The fees for access to the wireless network can be pricey and even use of the hard wired computers in the lobby could be cost prohibitive for the frequent user. Anyone wanting to surf the web or check email daily will definitely want to book their reservation online via the website to receive complimentary in room high speed wireless access.

Another potential negative for some Wellington Hotel guests might be the fact that smoking is only permitted in the rooms on the lower floors, which means those who wish to smoke in their room lose the option to enjoy those stunning in suite views of the city. Smokers can get around this by getting a smoke free room with a view and making the trek downstairs and outside to smoke.

A Few of my Favorite Things:

For those who value high quality customer service from friendly, knowledgeable staff, the hotel Wellington will definitely meet your expectations. In fact, any of the minor annoyances, such as a broken AC unit, that might put a damper on an otherwise excellent visit, were very quickly remedied by the competent and responsive staff.

Budget minded guests, looking to economize by sacrificing a bit on the luxury that often comes with a pricier hotel stay, will be well suited to the Wellington Hotel. The rooms are clean and of sufficient size if your goal in visiting New York City is primarily to get out of the hotel and take advantage of the many nearby activities and sights such as the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, popular Manhattan neighborhood street fairs and festivals, or even souvenir shopping in the onsite Piccolo gift shop or the many other nearby shopping venues.

No visit to New York City would be complete without a visit to Madame Tussaud’s wax museum. With a top of the line 4D theater and over two hundred lifelike wax figures to hobnob and take photos with, including Alicia Keys, Johnny Depp, and Justin Bieber, it’s clear why this is one of NYC’s top attractions.

Final Thoughts

This hotel is a worthy value for those who are willing to sacrifice all the fancy luxuries and amenities in order to have the benefit of a comfortable place to sleep that is right in the center of New York’s action and activity. Most days visitors who take in the sights and activities will be in such need of a good night’s rest that minor irritations like the smaller size of the rooms, outdated carpet in the lobby, and pay by service fees for computer use and faxing will be of no consequence.

The Wellington offers a clean and comfortable place to lay your head at night so that you can re-energize for the next day’s activities. The customer service is excellent and all the events and wonders of the New York City attractions and Midtown Manhattan are accessible by walking no further than you’d walk to your mailbox at home. Whether your ideal vacation includes breakfast daily at a different restaurant, a visit to the museum of art, or just participating in the activities that go on daily in the park, the Wellington Hotel is central to all the action. This location was a great place to rest in between enjoyment of the sights, sounds, and celebrations of life that are fascinating to visitors and just another day to most New York residents. BOOK IT AT THE BEST PRICE NOW!