What hotel to pick in NYC if using Marriott points?
 

Anybody have any advice on this topic? Have been to New York a number of times. We like walking around in Chelsea/Soho/Village, etc.--the part of New York where you really feel like you're in New York, not just a large city, a feeling I sometimes get in Midtown. It's not true to say the hotel doesn't really matter, as comfort and cleanliness are very important, no matter how much/little time is spent in the room. We would be coming to see a play or maybe an opera instead, museums, have some good meals. Shopping not a priority

Other than the Marriott Financial Center down at Wall st. I can't think of any Marriott properties downtown (south of midtown). Chelsea, Soho, Village are not filled with many hotels period.

The Marriott Courtyards are very good and many are newish. The Courtyard Fifth ave. or midtown east would be good or the Residence Inn, all within a short walk of theaters. Ofcourse the Marriott Marquis in Times Square is another option and rooms are a good size with floor to ceiling windows/views and evidently soundproofing is good.

Well, looking at the Marriott website, your only non-Midtown options are the Marriott Financial Center and the Upper East Side. The Courtyard at 410 East 92nd would be the most residential area.

The Courtyard on east 92nd would put you in a much more residential (though particularly sterile and, in my opinion, boring and expensive) area, but I wouldn't recommend staying there. I just find the UES extraordinarily inconvenient.

Any Marriott will do. You can so easily get to a more residential area to walk around. The Courtyard on 3rd Avenue in Midtown is pretty convenient, and it's a nice hotel.

I used my Marriott points to stay at the Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn. I know that it's not midtown but I really liked the location. I could get to about 5 subway lines and get anywhere in Manhattan quite quickly. I don't know if this hotel is an option, but it was nice.

Thank you for these replies.

I didn't mean to imply I wanted a residential area--I have stayed everywhere from the Benjamin to a place in Brooklyn with bulletproof glass around the desk, three different apartments I found on craigslist, and a few other hotels. I was trying to ask, does any Marriott stand out from the others by virtue of the rooms, etc., as I am comfortable in lots of different neighborhoods.

But I guess, as Doug said, any Marriott will do. But I don't want Brooklyn this time.

Well, in that case, I'd check to see where my points would go furthest. You won't get a "bad" Marriott in NYC.

<i> I was trying to ask, does any Marriott stand out from the others by virtue of the rooms, etc., </i>

The Residence Inn has kitchens in the rooms. They're all studios, but more like an apartment, new and well located. The Courtyard across from it (Times Square south) is also relatively new. The other 2 Courtyards I mentioned (midtown east and Fifth ave.) are both nice with good sized rooms. The Marriott Marquis in Times Square has good sized rooms etc.

Thanks, mclaurie. I think all the Marriott properties in Manhattan require the top category of points, so I'll just pick on the basis of availability and location.

I have stayed at all of the Marriotts in NYC, Brooklyn and points beyond since I am a very frequent business traveler. Here's my 2 cents:

Marriott Marquis - large, flamboyant,in the center of Times Square. When I stay here, I always enjoy it because it is the epicenter of Times Square. The rooms are larger than many in the city and some have outstanding views of Times Square. Restaurants in the hotel are very expensive-breakfast can be $50 for 2 people. When I stay here for a getaway weekend, I always enjoy it.One of the best Concierge Lounges anywhere for Platinum members! Oddly, when I am on business, I don't like the vastness of it.Strange but true...

Renaissance - another great property in TS. Smaller rooms with great views. Very nice restaurant - Foley's - located in the hotel.

Courtyard Times Square - a great little hotel that is removed enough from TS to be quiet but yet it is a very short walk to Broadway. I love this hotel when I am on business because it is smaller and very quiet. The rooms are quite small and I wouldn't like that on a getaway weekend. The staff here is very friendly and I have always gotten great tips from the concierge.New York's finest seem to love to have breakfast here....

Residence Inn - this new property is directly across from Bryant Park. The rooms are good sized, quiet, with the usual kitchenette features, which is very nice.Considering how often I have stayed here, it's funny that I have never &quot;cooked&quot; anything... I always seem to go out when I am in the city! I love the staff here - very friendly and outgoing. You can't beat the free breakfast and free &quot;Manager's Special&quot; on business evenings.The Lounge is a great place to meet people.

Marriott East Side - I have stayed at this property for business and frankly did not enjoy it beacuse of the noise at night. This is an older property and the street noise is quite loud in the rooms at nite. Some people don't mind this but I live in the country and the sirens at night rattle me up!

Marriott Financial Center- Hubby and I have stayed here on several getaways and we enjoy it. It's a good place to go to get another perspective of the city. Some rooms have terrific view of the SOL. Rooms here are good sized and quiet.It's an easy walk to Battery Park, Ground Zero, Wall Street, etc.

Brooklyn Marriott - another terrific property that gives you a different perspective of NY.Nice sized quiet rooms, some with a great view. I use this Marriott when I have business in Brooklyn.

Courtyard Fifth Avenue - I stayed here before it was re-done and I did not like it.It was pretty lousy in fact.... I suspect that it's much better now.
Courtyard Midtown is OK, but I much prefer the TS area.

I hope this helps you to make your decision - since you have to use maximum points anyway, I always pick the most expensive hotel when I am there for fun!

What about blowing all your points and staying at either the Ritz-Carlton downtown or Central Park South?

The only ones (I think) that Emily left out are the Courtyard Midtown East and the new 92nd St. Courtyard. I've stayed at the Marriott Marquis, Renaissance, Residence Inn and Courtyard Midtown East, and a friend has stayed at the Courtyard Times Square. I agree with Emily's assessments of the Marquis and Renaissance, although the first room we were given at the Renaissance (and we're Marriott &quot;elite&quot; members - go figure) was tiny. We moved. We just stayed at the Residence Inn a couple of weeks ago, and while I found it friendly and the room nice-sized, the shower in our room was so pathetic I would not stay there again without assurances that it would be better (yes, we had them up to check it multiple times). We thought the Courtyard Midtown East was excellent -- it's not a luxury hotel, just a &quot;vertical&quot; Courtyard, but the room is huge by NY standards (big enough for two queen size beds and a loveseat size sofabed), the staff unbelieveably friendly, the location excellent (Duane Reade right downstairs, Lexington Avenue subway at the corner). For the same money, I'd stay at the Courtyard over the Residence Inn. For a more upscale experience (albeit in the middle of Times Square), the Marquis or the Renaissance.

Oh, forgot to say my friend thought the Times Square Courtyard was excellent (he was with his teenage son).