Pennsylvania 6-5000 (Pennsylvania Hotel New York)

Member Name: Teena2003

Product:	Pennsylvania Hotel New York
Date:	22/01/05 (1198 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: in the heart of the city

Disadvantages: -

During one of my first visits to New York, a long time before I had a computer and could research and book online, I decided to book flight and hotel with an independent travel agent. It was a tiny family run business and as I had been booking holidays with them for years, I trusted them and they knew what I needed and wanted.

That’s how I ended up at the Hotel Pennsylvania for three nights before continuing my travels along the US East Coast and up to Boston.

Tired from a long flight I arrive at the hotel. It looks rather impressive from the outside. It’s a large building opposite Madison Square Gardens. I entered and arrived in a huge marble and mirrored lobby with a receptions area the size I had never before seen in my life – and not since.

The Pennsylvania is one of New York’s largest hotels with 18 floors and 1700 rooms plus three penthouse floors, built in the 1919 but has undergone a complete renovation over the past years. It takes up a whole block on 7th Avenue between 32nd and 33rd Street and within very easy reach of places of interest and shops. The Empire State Building and Macy’s are only a few minutes away on foot.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra made the hotel, or at least its phone number famous in the 1940s with their hit ‘Pennsylvania 6-5000’, a phone number that hasn’t changed since 1919.

As I was pre-booked and pre-paid, checking in was easy. I showed the nice guy at reception my booking confirmation and after filling in the arrivals card I was given a key card to my room. From the number I noticed it was on the 10th floor but there were plenty of lifts to get me to my room.

Just wanting to flake out on the bed for a little while, freshen up and then go out for a stroll in the neighbourhood, I opened the door to what would be my home for the next three nights. To say that I was slightly taken aback would not quite cut it. The bed was dirty, the carpet was dirty, the bedside tables were under the bed, lamps were on the floor, everywhere cables and wires. I think I actually uttered a barrage of expletives to no-one in particular, grabbed my camera, took a series of photos (in case I needed to sue the pants off of them, or at least off the travel insurance or agent), shut the door again and went downstairs, luggage still dragging behind me. I was tired and not in a particularly good mood.

I didn’t even bother with the check-in part of reception and went straight to general enquiries, slapped my key card on the counter and stated: I’m not staying in THAT room.

One look on the computer and I was showered with apologies. They had given me a room that had not been renovated and should never have been given out to anyone. I could only whole-heartedly agree with that statement.

Within minutes my room was changed and I was checked into a room that was guaranteed refurbished. As an apology I also got an upgrade from a standard to a moderate room for free and had a choice of either two double beds or one king size. As I was on my own, I didn’t see why I should occupy a room that could sleep 4 so I opted for the kings. I was moved from the 10th to the 14th floor and given a front view – towards Madison Square Garden – room.

I am sure if I had been more aggressive I would have been able to get more out of the situation but I was tired after a whole day travelling and only wanted to go to my room and relax.

Back up to the new room, open the door and much to my surprise, I find a rather nice and fairly large room in front of me.

The room was decorated in pastel colours and dominated by a large king size bed. But there was also a nice desk (with tourist information but no stationary or pen) and chair in one corner and a cabinet with TV in the other. And everywhere I looked there were lamps, on walls, on the ceiling, on tables and even without the main light on, each of the lamps produced enough light to illuminate the room beautifully.

All rooms are air-conditioned and have their own temperature control. This will come in handy in the hot and sweltering summer months when New York can be very hot and oppressive. The windows actually open, not fully but at least you can let some air in from the outside. Not that you actually want to, the noise and air quality in the city is not the best.

The bathroom was small but adequate with a bath/shower combination and some complimentary shampoo and soap. Shame it didn’t have the Hotel name printed on them, otherwise I would have taken it. Plenty of fluffy white towels were available for you and housekeeping even phoned at one point to ask whether I needed more or not.

Decoration in the bathroom is nothing much to talk about, like in most hotels, it was fully tiled, off-white with a large mirror. The showerhead could be adjusted to your own personal favourite water strength from normal to a massage setting.

The room and bathroom were spotlessly clean and there is a daily maid service.

Being in New York you can’t expect huge hotel rooms but it certainly was of a nice and comfortable size and you didn’t bump into the furniture when you moved around.

All rooms have clock radio, colour TV with cable, pay-per-view movies, hair dryers, ironing boards/irons and direct dial phones with voicemail, but you will need to ask reception to unblock your phone for outgoing calls. This will require a credit card as security and will only get charged if you actually use the phone.

The room itself does not have a safe for all your valuables but you are welcome to leave anything of value that you don’t want to keep in your room in the safes at reception.

Towards the back of the lobby there was a large and well-stocked newspaper shop plus souvenir area. The prices were no more expensive than anywhere else in the shops.

As a guest in the hotel you offered half price access to the fitness studio located next door but I am not the sporty type, and walking around the streets of Manhattan gave me all the exercise I needed, I didn’t actually check it out, in particular not if I had to pay for the privileged.

The rooms can be a little on the expensive side if you decide to book last minute, but if you look around the Internet, you can actually find some very good prices. If I was to book now I could find prices from $99 plus 13.625% sales tax & $2.00 per room, per night occupancy tax for a single standard room. You pay for the room, breakfast is not included in the price. But depending on how close to the dates you book, or the time of year, prices can be very expensive.

Sometimes it works out cheaper to actually book the flight and hotel together but it is still advisable to see if you can’t save by looking online for hotel prices without flight.

I was actually surprised how expensive the rooms on normal rates could be as the hotel itself only carries a low two star rating. I don’t know why the rating is so low, I would give it at least three stars. But I don’t give out ratings.

If you feel hungry, there are two restaurants on site but it is often cheaper to eat in a restaurant away from the hotel. I certainly found a few nice delis in the area and bought dinner to take back to the hotel on my way back.

After my first and initial bad impression I can’t fault the hotel. It was comfortable, even if large and not very personal, clean and ever so handy for exploring the neighbourhood and sightseeing.

Within easy reach of Penn Station (Amtrak), Port Terminal (for Greyhound busses) and subway stations.

Summary: