Go Westin! (The Westin New York at Times Square (New York, USA))

Member Name: emmakate06

Product:	The Westin New York at Times Square (New York, USA)
Date:	28/04/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Location, Comfortable, Luxurious rooms

Disadvantages: Pricey

Location - The Westin Times Square hotel is conveniently situated at 43rd Street on 8th Avenue. It stands in the middle of the broadway district with approximately 40 theatres offering a variety of shows within walking distance. There are many shops, and entertainment facilities within metres of this hotel and it is only a few blocks walk to the Empire State Building and Macys. If you want to catch a cab back from Macys with all your shopping it only costs about $5 to get back though really isnt that far to walk. Ground Zero is a $12 taxi ride away and there is a large discount store located directly opposite ground zero where a few bargains are to be found. There is easy access to subways and is only a couple of blocks away from Penn Station and Grand Central station. It is an approximate taxi ride of about 45 minutes from JFK airport it cost us $110 for a stretch limo with meet and greet service. There is an adjoining entertainment complex attached to the hotel called the E Walk which consists of several restaurants including BB Kings Blues Club and Grill and a 13 screen cinema. My husband and I stayed here over the New Years period and the hotel was ideally situated to view all the new years eve celebrations and is located on the street just by where the New Years Eve ball lowers.

Arrival - On arrival we were met at the door by very friendly and professional staff. They got all our luggage out of the limo whilst holding the door open for us. They tagged up all our luggage straight away to allow for the porter to bring to our room as soon as we had checked in. The entrance lobby is very airy and modern and you have to go up an escalator to get to reception. The reception staff were very polite and check in was very easy and efficient. They were more than happy to answer any questions we had and it never seemed like we were being rushed to read and sign the credit card forms.
Room - We had booked a fitness room which consisted of pilates equipment, a state of the art treadmill, yoga equipment, gym ball, mat and weights. The bed was king size and was the most comfortable bed I had ever slept in. The room was very well arranged and presented and the linen looked brand new, clean and fresh. There was a large television, internet facilities, telephone, minibar and ample storage space. There was a great view from the room down to the street below and it was great to watch everyone rushing about whilst we were doing absolutely nothing. Strangely relaxing!

Facilities - Plenty of facilities to keep you occupied, there is a full concierge service for all your travel needs, a theater ticket desk located within the lobby to purchase tickets for events and shows. We went to watch the Lion King show which is located just across the road from the back entrance of the hotel and we actually found the queue to be shorter here than in the hotel so found it just as easy to book with the theatre direct. We also went to see beauty and the beast located a couple of streets down but we just booked online from our laptop in the room and collected from their desk about half an hour after, really easy. There is also a fitness centre and spa service within the hotel, the prices are a bit expensive so didnt try it out ourselves so cant comment on the service there, but it did look very professional and they offered a wide range of treatments. Attached to the hotel is the E Walk which provides you with a selection of different restaurants which include BB Kings blues club and grill and Shulas Steak House. There is also a cinema which is great with comfy seats that recline sligtly, a lot more comfortable than the cinemas in the UK. There is also wireless internet throughout the hotel and high speed internet access for people whos laptops dont have wifi capability. This does come at a charge however im not sure exactly what it cost.
Food - We had room service on our first morning for breakfast. This was a fantastic spread of a cooked breakfast, fresh juice, a basket of breads, crossiants and muffins and some toast. It was a lovely breakfast however it cost us about £40 which I personally think is way too much to spend on a breakfast. There is a takeaway shop located next door which offers the same kind of meal for about £10 so for the rest of the week we purchased our meal from there and took it back to the room. The food was just as nice just without the hefty price tag. The other restaurants adjoined to the hotel were always really busy with queues out the door so we didnt get the opportunity to eat in Shulas or the BB Kings Grill. Bar 10 within the hotel also offers light snacks but again these are expensive and unless your willing to pay around £10 for a small sandwich id steer clear and stick to the many surrounding restaurants. There is an irish bar a short walk away which offers fantastic meals at a good price and we ate here on several occasions. Bar 10 also offers a cocktail selection and drinks, however when we went to sample these the barman refused to serve us without id despite being 27 and looking it. I did go and get our passports but my husband wasnt willing to drink there anymore as the barman was very rude to us when asking for identification and left us feeling embarassed in front of a highly busy bar with everyone looking at us. The funny thing is you have to be 21 to book a room due to there being a minibar so we had to be 21 to be staying there!!

Overall - High quality rooms at a great location, though the costs reflect this. Expect to pay around £250 a room per night during busy times including taxes and thats for a lower floor room and does not include breakfast. For a higher floor room or one located near the spa expect to pay in excess of £350 a room. Despite the costs, I would stay here again mainly due to the fact that the rooms are so luxurious and comfortable and its location cant be beaten.

This is my own review and has featured on another review website.

Summary: Fabulous hotel