First-time visitors to NYC. Does anybody know if the Hotel Penn. is a nice place to stay?

Hi Margaret:

The Hotel has been around a very long time and underwent numerous renovations. It is directly across the street from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station . My favorite NY place for gyros is right up the street. Great but very messy!
Plenty of shopping and restaurants.
Public trasportation bues and subways right across the street. You can get to any attraction from Penn Station.
When will be here?

I am coming for Thanksgiving. Is the PENN Hotel in a safe, convenient area close to the Theatre District? Any suggestions on where we can eat Thanksgiving Day? I need to make a res. soon. Thanks for your help!

Hotel Penn - big old hotel. It's just fine. Thanksgiving dinner - why not the Waldorf Astoria.

Margaret:
The hotel is on 7th Avenue between 33 & 34th Street. Times Square is 42nd between 7th and Broadway. Easily walkable but the subway is right there. Area is fine. Busy and lots od shopping in the area.
Have a good time.

Hi Margaret:

I had a friend who stayed there recently. She HATED IT! It is way too big and not all the rooms are finished. It is in a very busy area, and not one of the safer areas when the sun goes down. What are they charging you for the night? You might check out the Red Roof Inn of 32nd and Fifth. Its is right near the Empire State Bldg. I had checked it out for a client and it is brand new hotel, and the rooms are relatively spacious! The rate is around $149/Night. Also try the web site WWW.quickbook.com, they have some good rates on some nice properties.
JOHN

Margaret, I lived in New York for years and when I later moved to Long Island I used to commute by Long Island Railroad in and out of Penn Station. I still use the railroad to come into the city instead of driving in. I think the Madison Square Garden/Penn Station area is seedy and ugly. I don't know what kind of hotel rate you're being quoted there. If it's really good, maybe you should stay there, because I'm sure the hotel itself is fine and you probably don't want to spend more than you have to on a room. But you can find hotels in much nicer areas of the city. You won't be unsafe in that neighborhood, NYC Police are great, in my opinion. There are a lot of undercover as well as plainclothes cops around, especially at night. But maybe you'll just FEEL safer (and nicer) elsewhere. It depends on what you're looking for. If they quoted you a good rate and you just need a place to sleep and shower, go with it. But if other hotels are quoting you equivalent rates and/or you want to spend time close to your hotel, find another. Personally, I wouldn't stay in a hotel in the Penn Station or Times Square areas. My preference for mid-town is the east side. I like downtown, or Central Park South area. Penn Station or Times Square would be my last choice. You don't have to stay there just to be close to Broadway theatre. The theatre is only a subway or cab ride away. Manhattan is geographically quite small and you can easily navigate your way around from one end to the other.

the rate they quoted me at the Penn Hotel is $199. think I can do better?

Margaret:
From what I see from posted prices, 199 is a great price for Thanksgiving weekend. You are practically right around the corner from Macy's. The Hotel itself is pretty nice. It is one of the old hotels that underwent renovations not too long ago. The subways and buses are all over the place and run all night long. Have a wonderful stay.

To the top for Michael!

Airline personnel stay there, I think--in fact, I remember the guy who crashed Egyptair and his fellow staff were staying there. I like the Times Sq area if I want to go to theater a lot, as it's so convenient, and there are a lot of good restaurant choices just west of the theater area (w 46th, etc) past 8th ave. Anyway, I do think that's a good rate as I stayed during Thanksgiving weekend last year and the rates go up about $100 a night from their usual level, was I shocked; however, they should be cheaper on Thanksgiving night itself, as I recall, and higher for the weekend--I stayed in the Paramount and paid $275 a night(!!!) for a very small double room that weekend, I think the rate was usually about $175 a night, and I think I pd $175 on Thanksgiving night.