Ye olde cliche of “Location, location, location…” doesn’t apply solely to the housing market. It has everything to do with major hotels, too — especially in the concrete canyons of New York City.
The Westhouse Hotel New York rises high above West 55th Street and 7th Avenue, just a few steps away from a subway station, half a block from tourist-heavy Carnegie Deli and less than a 10 minute walk from Times Square. You’d have to go some to pinpoint a better spot for a hotel to call home. Tucked so neatly in Midtown, the Westhouse is an easy cab ride to most of the city’s major attractions if a visitor is intimated by the prospects of NYC subway travel.
Even though it hold a prominent chunk of real estate, the general attitude and ambiance of the hotel is friendly and helpful without seeming stuffy or overly formal. When I arrived for my stay on an early Spring evening, New York offered up pouring rain that changed to a surprise blizzard as the wee hours arrived. I was greeted by what really did seem like genuine concern over what I’d endured getting in from JFK.
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Beyond its spot on the Manhattan map, the Westhouse’s other top attraction is its Den (above).
Essentially a lobby lounge, the Den is a rendezvous point for locals. It offers an open, serve yourself bar, free coffee, tea, soft drinks and baked treats. The decor is warm and classy — the kind of room that begged me to smoke a cigar and read The Times (or would have in a more civilized era). Whether I’m staying at the Westhouse again in the future, I do intend to revisit the Den when I need to catch my breath in the never-ending pace of NYC.
The bedroom accommodations are clean and modern following a recent renovation. If you manage to snag a room with enough altitude, the views of the heart of New York City are as spectacular as you would expect. Sadly, my vista on Times Square was marred by the ridiculous weather, but we won’t hold the hotel to blame for that.
Travelers seeking to experience New York City from the inside out would do well to plant their flag at the Westhouse. Homey and comfortable while you’re in residence, and ideally located when it’s time to head out, the hotel has the necessary angles covered.
