Sunday, November 3, 2013

What is this Mickey Mouse?...Times Square- PLUS The Algonquin Hotel



 People have been claiming --ever since they rebuilt it-- that the New Times Square area was just "Disneyland for Tourists." Sort of looks that way here, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, the area is full of hotels, too...I was surprised to see the famous old Algonquin Hotel was still there  just East of  Times Square...



The Algonquin of course gained its cachet because of its "round table" of wits and comics, which included at different times Dorothy Parker, Harpo Marx, Robert Benchley,  Alexander Woollcott and others...

But nobody ever said STAYING there was all that great...I wonder what Yelpers say today

Well, it has been restored as an expensive place

Reviews are very good but with some criticism that is is STILL too old fashioned

The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection

3.5 star rating
108 reviews Rating Details
Category: Hotels
59 West 44th St
(between Avenue Of The Americas & 5th Ave)
New York, NY 10036
Neighborhood: Midtown West
(212) 840-6800

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Nearest Transit Station:
5 Ave. (7, 7X)
42 St. - Bryant Pk (B, D, F, M)
47 - 50 Sts - Rockefeller Ctr (B, D, F, M)
Price Range:
$$$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Wi-Fi:
Free
Dogs Allowed:
Yes

Review Highlights   What's this?

  • "My favorite touch with this hotel - the resident kitty-cat Matilda." In 25 reviews
  • "our door had a quote by Dorothy Parker." In 12 reviews
  • "Great property, Blue bar with John Weeks et al and superb historic..." In 8 reviews
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108 reviews in English

  • Review from

    Ellicottville, NY
    10/25/2013
    This hotel is in a great location, is small enough to be personal but big enough to feel comfortable.

    There is great history at this hotel. Great minds and creative types would gather here to pass the time before people glued themselves to tvs, phones and computer screens all day.

    And there's a big, fluffy, friendly cat that lives in the lobby.

    The rooms are pretty small, but standard for a New York Hotel. The Oak Room serves up some great food and there is ambiance to spare. The Blue Bar attached to the lobby is ultra-cool and a great place for a relaxing drink bathed in blue lights.

    The staff is mostly nice and attentive. While I typically stay in another hotel closer to my old 'hood, the Algonquin is a great place to change it up when spending time in the theater district and Times Square.
  • Review from

    Milpitas, CA
    10/23/2013 1 check-in here
    During my last visit to NYC, Ken L. and I stayed at The Algonquin Hotel. I reserved our room through Priceline and got a great deal to stay at a 4 star hotel. It's not cheap booking a hotel in Midtown so I was pleased with what we ended up getting.

    Took the red-eye flight from SFO to JFK and arrived on a Monday morning. After walking from Penn Station to the hotel, we were greeted by the friendly staff. While check in wasn't until later that afternoon, they were able to store our bags and told us we could help ourselves out to the complementary coffee on the second floor. They had a Keurig coffee machine there with Green Mountain coffee and usually have Starbucks in the lobby from 6AM-10AM and iced tea in the afternoons.

    We ended up staying on the second floor. Score! That's where the coffee, ice machine, gym, and computers were located! We were also right by the stairs so we could take those if the elevator was taking too long.

    I loved the atmosphere of the hotel. It reminded me of the 1920s era. The room was clean, smaller than I'm used to but very well furnished. The bathroom had glass doors and looked very elegant compared to previous places I stayed at.

    On our last day, we checked out in the morning and had our bags checked in the front since our flight wasn't until later that  afternoon. Apparently, there was a parade going on blocking the streets so we had to walk to the corner of the block to wait for our transportation to the airport. Instead of lugging everything on our own, their staff took a cart and helped us with our bags.

    Overall, it was a wonderful experience. The location was close to the subway and buses and a short walk to Times Square. What more could you ask for?
  • Review from

    • 29 friends
    • 95 reviews
    San Jose, CA
    10/23/2013 1 photo 1 check-in here
    Staying in midtown aint cheap so with that in mind, if i was going to stay at a four star hotel, it better be worth it.  Lucky for me this place was! I'm going to  Compare this place to the Hilton around 53rd st. Those were the two hotels I stayed at when I vacation to New York.

    This place is amazing as far as customer service goes. I arrived early so I checked my bags in.  It was free and I didn't have to pay anything which was nice cause I did at the Hilton hotel.

    The place looks like it could have been a set from the great Gatsby movie. We stayed on the second floor which had a coffee station and a gym. Inside the gym they provided the guests with snacks and water.  Free of course, all of which were never provided for free at the Hilton.

    From 6 to 10 am. They provided Starbucks coffee in the lobby, and around noon time, they provided fresh ice tea.

    My room,  although smaller than the Hilton,  was of decent size for two. There is no tub in the restroom. Only standing shower.

    A little note about this place that you might not know.  The host for hotel impossible was their general manager! So it was no surprise to me that this place is clean and the service was great.

    On the day that I left.  They help push my luggages out to the corner where my shuttle picked me up. Great service to the very end!

    I strongly recommend this place if you can afford it.  We used priceline and got a decent price on it.  The employees were never rude or harass me for tips. Great location too since its only a few blocks from time square.
    • Hotel lobby
  • Review from

    • 17 friends
    • 14 reviews
    Los Angeles, CA
    9/18/2013 1 check-in here
    I stayed here for about a week during a business trip.  The staff was always friendly and the hotel is very clean.  After I checked it, I found out all the history on the building which is really intriguing.   In addition to staying here, I also ate at the restaurant and had a few drinks at the bar which was also a pleasant experience.

    Be sure to say hi to the cat at the front desk!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review
    Kapolei, HI
    10/20/2013
    It's been only 5 minute that I'm here and I love the place the ambiance is amassing !!! Everyone should come here at list once for a drink !, AD ..
  • Review from

    Newton, MA
    7/6/2013 1 photo 1 check-in here
    I had really hoped that this would be a five star experience. I love Dorothy Parker and The New Yorker and had been hoping to come here since I was in high school.

    We walked from Penn Station with our bags, which was great exercise but arrived drenched in summer humidity. It's two miles, not a five minute walk, as Google maps claims.

    I suspect the Marriott ownership has both modernized the rooms and removed a lot of the history. I was directed to check out the second floor for memorabilia, but there were only a handful of photos of the round table crew. But, each room is adorned with a cute photo and quote from a writer of the era and the hotel is decorated with framed New Yorker covers.

    When we arrived, everyone was very friendly.  I pointed out my Marriott status and we got an upgrade, which was very nice because our upgraded room on the 11th floor  is small and almost windowless. I does have a lot of nice amenities like outlets everywhere you could want one, free WiFi, and luxury bath products. The only real negatives are the lack of bathtub and the roar of the AC coming on, which wakes me up every time.

    As you would expect, food and drink are expensive. The restaurant, you know THE RESTAURANT where the round table was, was almost empty at 9 pm on the Wednesday we checked in. There's a diner next door called Red Flame Diner where you can get breakfast to go and still have breakfast in bed. It costs about 2/3 less and is quite good.
    • Second floor photos including Dorothy Parker.
  • Review from

    Stamford, CT
    6/30/2013 4 check-ins here
    I've stayed here twice.. And I really do appreciate the cleanliness of the room. The first time I booked the queen room, and it was TINY. It really was large enough just to fit the queen bed. But, since it was just me, it worked.

    Most recent time, booked the king room. The room was a lot bigger with a desk and some actual working space. Bathroom is still tiny though.

    The location of this hotel is ideal- close to Times Square but far enough away you're not fighting the mobs to get back home at night.

    One down fall was the hotel bar. Crazy expensive- $21 for a drink! And the service is very slow.. They were not the best at asking for a second round. Or filling our waters or nuts. However, we still managed to rack up a $200 bar bill.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 9 reviews
    Wilmington, DE
    6/6/2013
    This place has it all - charm, personality, and its' own personal feline mascot!

    The decor is very Gatsby-esque. I did not have any drinks at their Blue lounge, but it looked very busy. It is immaculate clean and the staff is beyond accommodating. Upon entering, I was greeted by Matilda - the beautiful persian cat. The bellhop told us a bit of history on the way up the elevator and brought us to the most quaint room - clean, stylish, and comfortable. The hotel had undergone a few million dollar renovations and it certainly shows!

    I stayed there almost a week ago and I still feel relaxed about the experience. It's a must stay!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 8 reviews
    East Lansing, MI
    9/28/2013
    The Algonquin hotel is a pristine, perfect, five star place, absolutely living up to the reputation of the Autograph Collection. I stayed a couple nights there, and I absolutely loved it. I'll admit the rooms are not large, but the place is quiet, clean, and comfortable. If you're looking to enjoy Manhattan's craziness during the day, and then to retire to a quiet place for the night, the Algonquin is the place to go.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 20 reviews
    Chicago, IL
    4/28/2013
    A grand old hotel, with timeless issues. I arrive, the door staff ignores me - I request help, they are too busy arguing with each other, so I get my own bags out of the cab.

    I walk in and one of the two front desk ladies is on a what sounds lie a personal call, the other is swapping cat pictures with an elderly couple. The gentleman says to his wife, " dear , people are waiting" - the front desk person looks at him as waves her hand as if to say, so what, and goes on about cats with the man's wife.

    Finally, the other Front desk lady finishes her call and checks me in.  Nice touch, she upgrades my room.

    i arrive in the room. Seems housekeeping needs new glasses, detritus on the tables - did no one sweep up?

    I let the front desk know about the need for housekeeping to finish cleaning on my way out... Her response, She wants to shake my hand - like this makes the mess all better - weird.

    Housekeeping does come while I am out.

    Room is nicely furnished.
    Bed is comfy..... Nice large flat screen televisions.

    But, the entire place smells of mildew. I am told it is because of the recent rain. No offer for a different room - problem appears to be hotel wide.

    Need to prop open the guillotine windows - watch your fingers!  They do not stay open - all of the springs must be shot.

    I had expected better from a Marriott property.

    .
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 24 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    9/26/2013
    I can't say much about the rooms.  I only saw one once and it was fairly plain, but it is so nice to hang out in the bar and restaurant and think about Dorothy Parker being here.  I love the feel and the comfortable old chairs.
  • Review from

    • 18 friends
    • 143 reviews
    New York, NY
    2/11/2013
    This review is only for brunch in the Roundtable. We used a Travelzoo voucher and I'm glad we did, because the food was catering or buffet-quality omelettes priced at $25. See  menu here: http://www.algonquinhote….

    Shocking prices for a place that is not exactly luxurious and stately as it used to be. It's a bit Marriotty now, with Crate and Barrel furniture. Boring!  I was looking for a dark romantic throwback kind of style and this was disappointing. Plus, $25 omelettes?! wow.  Wont' be returning.

    If you are in the neighborhood, I recommend the Algonquin only for drinks in the lounge. The Blue bar was a bit intense for my taste.
  • Review from

    Dallas, TX
    1/3/2013 1 check-in here
    The service is pleasant, the staffs are pleasant, the location is good. I was able to see the cat by the way, looks very aristocratic.
    The normal room is spacious more than what i would have imagined for New York. The shower is upright and separate, my favorite kind. Although, the walls are thin, you can hear everything, but they do provide ear plugs. My favorite part about this hotel has to be its location. Algonquin is right in the heart of TImesquare, anything you want to get to isn't far. It was excellent location for the Ball Drop.




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