I have narrowed down our search for a 2 bdrm/ 2 bath suite, well-located in NYC for our visit next Spring. But I don't know NYC well enough to say whether or not that is a good location.

We are four (maybe five) women. The Beacon looks like it meets our criteria, and it has an excellent price for a 2 bdrm/ 2 bath this far in advance ($600/night). The website pictures look very appealing, and it was renovated a year or two ago.

It has great reviews on TripAdvisor, but I am hoping some Fodorites have direct experience there.

Can anyone tell me about it, or its location?

Address: 2130 Broadway @75th Street
New York, NY 10023
Phone: 212 787 1100
Web Site: www.beaconhotel.com

Thank you!

I stayed there years ago (pre-renovation) so I can't comment on what it's like now. But I love the location: lots of restaurants and shops. Easy subway access.

This is a lively residential neighborhood with plenty of restaurants and shops, close to the Museum of Natural History, Central Park, and Lincoln Center. As mentioned, there are two good subway lines with connections to the rest of Manhattan.

Looks like you have two threads going about this. Maybe better to consolidate them. But as I posted on the other thread, great neighborhood and the subway station is at Broadway and 72nd street. My friend lives in this part of town and it's one my favorites.

Thanks, all! I morphed my other hotel thread into this one, to get feedback specifically on the Beacon.

It sounds like it is too good to be true, at that rate and in that neighborhood. Am I just being paranoid??

Anyone been in the hotel lately?

It's not too good to be true - but this is definitely a moderate - not a 4* hotel. It was recently redone, the neighborhood is great as is the locatin for Cenral Park, museums and a ton of good inexpensive/moderate restaurants of every possible ethnicity.

And don't forget to visit Zabar's nearby - not just for the food but also for the increible kitchenwares department (nothing cheap but a lot of great stuff0>

nytraveler, I am hoping it is a stylish, and very clean, moderate hotel. Would you call it that?

And Fairway across the street (for any fruit, cheese, anything edible that you may want).

We stayed at the Beacon several times over the years, but not very recently. We loved the area, a real neighborhood and not the typical tourist-y area like Times Square. As others have said, Fairway across the street is fabulous, as are the many other stores and restaurants in the area.

I would NOT call it however, a stylish hotel. It is a clean, comfortable hotel, the rooms are actually apartments and that is great. I found staff less than wonderful but I did not really need them.

I wouldn't call it very stylish. I think for very stylish in New York you need to spend a whole lot more than this. It is certainly very clean, pleasant, rooms are sizable and in a great location.

If you are looking for super style - then I think that's specifically what you need to shop for - and expect prices to be a bunch higher than this - and rooms very likely quite a bit smaller.

The NY Times recently had an article about "affordable" boutique hotels in NYC. The basic rooms for 2 people are in the range of $200 to $250 per night - so for your group more in the range of $800 or so - but that's for individual rooms.

Two bedroom suites are rare - and I wold start looking at the boutique places to see if any of them have such a thing. (I know there are some - the Lowell on the upper east side has one and is VERY stylish 0 but it's about $2800 per night)

Style is not at the very top of my list. I know that NYC style is out of our budget this trip. For us, location, price, size of suite, two baths, kitchenette, amenities, etc. are more important.

The other two bedroom suites are almost twice as much, like the Affinia Gardens.

If the Beacon looks like its pictures on the website, it is just what we need. They say it was renovated within the past two years. No?

Yes, it has recently bee renovated. And i would have not problem staying there myself. But it is more more comfort than style.

Thank you so much, nytraveler, for your help. I have reserved it, and my group of friends is very happy with its location and price.