Greetings - my family (3 children, ages 17, 14, 11 at time of travel) will be in NYC for two nights on our way to Lake George for a week of a family reunion.

Today while searching, I found that I can stay at the Waldorf 2 nights, 2 rooms with my Hilton points. It is the same number of points (40,000 a night) as to stay at the Double Tree or the Hilton in Time Square.

Dh feels that it would be best to stay in Time Square - honestly? I am not sure I can stomach it again. We stayed there in Oct and I really did not care for the "feel". We were in the Battery Park area in September on business and I prefered that.

Anyway - has anyone stayed here?

What do you think of the location?

My two girls have never been to NYC - we were hoping to see Legally Blonde if still playing - and just do a day of seeing what sights we could.

Dh and stepson will be looking a local college.

Thanks as always in advance!

We've used our Hilton points to stay at the Waldorf and were very satisfied with the results. And, it is certainly preferable to the other options for the same number of points.
What does your husband have against the Waldorf area? It happens to be a fairly convenient location.

Howard - not sure exactly - we were corresponding via email so I will ask him when he gets home - but I assume he feels our daughters would be happier to be in the "thick" of things. I feel the same way you do - for the same points - GO for it but wanted to be sure I was not missing something.

In our situation, we only lucked into the Waldorf because there was nothing available at the main Hilton hotel on 6th & 53rd. I had assumed that it would cost far more Hilton points for the Waldorf. And, I only knew about the same 40,000 "cost," when the HHonors agent on the phone told me about it after she informed me that I would be unable to use my points for a room at the Hilton.
We had a great room and a wonderful experience.

We live in the NYC area but stayed at the Waldorf a few weeks ago after a Broadway show.

The location is fine. You're a block from the 51st Street Subway and about 6 to 7 blocks from Grand Central. From either location, you can get to most parts of Manhattan by one or two subways.

The room we had faced onto Lexington Avenue and had two Queen sized beds. The room was nice, though the paint in the bathroom needed to be redone. I might suggest you ask for a room facing Park Avenue unless you all sleep solidly.

The Lexington side gets far more traffic. It is also around the block from a very busy fire station and a police station. For them to get uptown or down, they will head onto Lexinton and either straight down or turn left onto 50th. There were sirens on Lexington at several points of the night and as it's a narrow street, cab horns. We were 14 floors up and it was noiser than I expected.

If you can get it for free, it should be perfectly fine.

If you're driving, I might suggest you valet the car at the hotel. It was $45 for the night. The isn't much more than what you will pay at any lot in the area. (To get into the valet area, head down 50th Street. Enter the hotel's driveway, just past the Waldorf Towers side entrance.)

Hi,

During my working days I stayed at the Waldorf many times. I always had a good experience there.

I would prefer it to the other options that you mentioned.

Have a good trip.

Agree that I would never stay in Times Square - way too loud, garish and tacky - the worst of NYC.. If you visit there to see a show and spend a few minutes in the atmosphere I think that would be enough for anyone.

The Waldorf is a New York Classic - in a location within easy walking distance of theaters and shopping and only a couple blocks from the subway and X-town shuttle in Grand Central.

Some people have complained about getting tired rooms - but I know that they're upgrading on a regular basis - so try for the freshest one.

This is all exactly what I was looking for - thanks for the tips on the street noise and the request for an "up to date" room. Makes sense. I am going to keep the reservations.

Love the Waldorf. It truly is a New York City experience in itself.

I've stayed at the Waldorf once, about eight years ago. $450 per night for one double bed that narrowly missed being damaged whenever the door to the room was opened. Still, you and your husband would prefer it over the Times Square location. Your kids, on the other hand......

I have nothing bad to say about the Waldorf (having never stayed there), but I just wanted to point out that the Hilton Times Square is very contemporary and very nice, nothing at all like the Hilton on 56th and Ave. of the Americas.

The Waldorf is in a great location. You are a five minute walk to Rockefeller Center and Madison Avenue shopping. To me, that is the place to be this time of year.

Never stayed at the Waldorf but it was across the street from the Benjamin that we stayed at in March and the location is fab and the place is so NYC..gorgeous and elegant!
Friends stayed there last month and they asked for an upgraded/remodeled suite and they said it was lovely..they are from Montecito so they know what elegance is!
Have a great time Dawn with your kids and your DH in NYC!

Your kids will be awed the minute they walk into the hotel and peruse the lobby!

Thanks again for all the feedback - just for the record we are going in August - not right now. Doubt it would be as reasonable.


Beachbum - I know that the kids might prefer TimeSqure - but they stayed at the Four Season in Beverly Hills last NYE and loved it - they are okay with Old world so to speak. I think we can walk to or cab to Timesquare... I just cannot stomach another stay there. It gave me a head ache just to walk outside.
(sorry!)

In other news I never shared here (I do not think?) that we went to the movies in Manhattan and had a HORRIBLE experience with a man sitting next to me and doing some very odd stuff - we ended up leaving the theater. Told the "customer service" she just sort of said "Yeah" ... like it was normal there? Ugh. That was in Oct.

Anyway - Tams I will be sure to request an updated room - hopefully it will work. We need two rooms.

Just one clue - in any movie (not just Manhattan) never sit right next to (or in the vision of if you can help) a man by himself. Esp if he's holding his coat or something on his lap.

(And yes, this can happen in your local multiplex too - these poor people can be found everywhere.)

I have never stayed at the Waldorf but have used the rest room in the lobby many times. Wonderful.

wanted to follow up on this - we stayed at the Waldorf and it was fabulous. Yes, the rooms were a little small, slightly tired - the noise was not an issue (I was actually suprised at how quiet it was for a NYC hotel) - the kids loved it and I LOVED the location. So much so that I noted a W by there and a Marriott - we have points at both those properties and really liked the location so much I would return.
Thank you so much for the feedback!