{"id":17927,"date":"2013-01-15T13:42:08","date_gmt":"2013-01-15T03:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/?p=17927"},"modified":"2018-05-15T04:03:49","modified_gmt":"2018-05-14T18:03:49","slug":"hotel-review-new-york-new-york","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/hotel-review-new-york-new-york\/","title":{"rendered":"Hotel review: New York, New York!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Not sure where to stay in the Big Apple? lastminute lovely Nicole provides her hot tips for where to stay in the concrete jungle of NYC.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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When planning your first trip to New York, some things are no brainers… See the Statue of Liberty. Brave the crowds for bargains at Century 21. See a show on Broadway. Indulge your inner Carrie with a cupcake or three from Magnolia Bakery. Visit Central Park. Go to a museum. Hit up Tiffany\u2019s… you get the picture.<\/p>\n

Where to stay though? That one is a little harder! I know what you\u2019re thinking. Accommodation in New York is ridiculously expensive, right? Well, if you\u2019re looking for absolute bargain basement prices, NYC might not be your holiday pick but there are definitely cost effective options and a trip to this city is worth the hotel costs. Trust me.<\/p>\n

While an urban holiday like this one involves hungrily exploring all the city has to offer, you still want your hotel to tick all the right boxes and be your home away from home. And the Affinia hotels I sampled were just that.<\/p>\n

Affinia Manhattan<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\"IMG_3033\"<\/a>\n\"IMG_4059\"<\/a>\n

The hotel room <\/strong><\/p>\n

A stay here gave us a taste of NYC apartment living and to say I liked it is an understatement.<\/p>\n

The Big Apple isn\u2019t exactly known for its spacious accommodation options (I half expected a room with just enough space for a bed!) but our one bedroom suite at Affinia Manhattan was super spacious.<\/p>\n

I absolutely loved the decor \u2013 modern and fresh without trying too hard. It had a bit of personality.<\/p>\n\"IMG_3030\"<\/a>\n

The living area (with desk, lounge, flat screen TV) was a great spot to kick-back between city adventures and the separate bedroom (complete with air-con, iPod dock and ensuite) provided a great night\u2019s sleep. There was construction going on at a building site across the road during our stay so sleep-ins were a no-go but to be honest, if you\u2019re spending too much time dozing in the city that never sleeps, you\u2019re doing it wrong.<\/p>\n

A small kitchen gave us the option to prepare meals. Even just being able to have breakfast here or a quick snack before heading off to a Broadway show was convenient. Trust me; it\u2019s these little luxuries that make a big difference when you\u2019re comparing hotel rooms.<\/p>\n

The absolute highlight though was our very own outdoor terrace. Sitting high above the busy streets enjoying a glass of wine (or on one occasion a cupcake!), you could forget for a few minutes that you weren\u2019t a local!<\/p>\n

\"Good<\/a>

Good morning NYC, from our very own terrace!<\/p><\/div>\n

Five other things to love about Affinia Manhattan <\/strong><\/p>\n

1. You\u2019re in the action: <\/strong>Situated on Seventh Avenue, you\u2019re in the middle of the mid-town scene but don\u2019t let that put you off. Think of the hotel as your own little haven from the craziness outside. Penn Station is nearby so any NYC destination is a subway ride away. Madison Square Gardens is just across from the hotel, Times Square is a short walk away and of course, shopping at Macy\u2019s… need I say more.<\/p>\n\"IMG_3022\"<\/a>\n

2. Pillow menu<\/strong> \u2013 Why make do with a standard pillow when you can take your pick from six dream pillow options? My favourite had to be the \u2018sound pillow\u2019: you plug your iPod in and fall asleep to your very own choice of tunes (useful in a noisy city like NYC and available at all Affinia properties).<\/p>\n

3. An onsite restaurant you actually want to go to<\/strong> \u2013 Hotel restaurants can be a bit hit and miss. Niles Restaurant and Bar falls into the hit category. It\u2019s an easy dining option, offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and also room service. We stopped by late one night for a slice of New York cheesecake… when in NYC. My expectations were high and thankfully Niles delivered. Mmmm I can almost taste it now!<\/p>\n\"IMG_3017\"<\/a>\n

4. It\u2019s the little things<\/strong> \u2013 Affinia offer complimentary experience kits to help you make the most of your stay. The \u2018BYOB Kit\u2019 with a wine holder and picnic blanket is super cute and perfect for a Central Park picnic and for the fitness fanatics the \u2018Stay Fit kit\u2019 with yoga mat, stretching blocks, Pilates and yoga DVDs and more will give you a bit of zen.<\/p>\n\"IMG_3035\"<\/a>\n

5. The Laundry<\/strong>\u2013 Okay this sounds super boring but hear me out. When you\u2019re travelling for a few weeks or more like we were, having a laundry at your hotel (rather than having to trek to a laundromat) is a very welcome addition. You can only justify buying extra underwear and socks for so long \ud83d\ude09 We tossed our items then headed next door to the gym. Got to love multi-tasking.
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Affinia Shelburne<\/a><\/h3>\n\"IMG_3027\"<\/a>\n

The hotel room <\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s tempting to base yourself in one hotel for convenience sake but on this trip, I discovered the benefits of mixing it up and getting a taste of two locations.<\/p>\n

Our stay at Affinia Shelburne was in a standard guestroom, which as the name suggests, was fairly basic but still much bigger than I anticipated an entry-level NYC room to be. It included a small kitchenette (with sink, microwave, mini-fridge etc), queen bed and ensuite plus flat screen TV and iPod dock and the design was a fashionable fusion of old and new.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The bed was super comfy, perfect for a post-shopping nap…<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Mr<\/a>

Mr LML… under there somewhere<\/p><\/div>\n

Five other things to love to about Affinia Shelburne<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Neighbourhood vibe <\/strong>\u2013 Located on Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill, still in mid-town but away from the craziness of Times Square, Affinia Shelburne has more of a neighbourhood feel, which was a welcome change. Strolling the streets, we made our way to fabulous restaurants, found cute shops and cafes and checked out the iconic Grand Central Station.<\/p>\n

\"Welcome<\/a>

Welcome to the neighbourhood.<\/p><\/div>\n

2. Concierge extraordinaire<\/strong> \u2013 Honestly, I had the best concierge experience I\u2019ve ever had at Affinia Shelburne. They secured great and relatively cheap tickets to the Lion King on Broadway for us at short notice \u2013 not an easy task! \u2013 and were always super helpful. Big thumbs up.<\/p>\n\"IMG_3031\"<\/a>\n

3. Raw Bar and Grill<\/strong> \u2013 The tavern style setting will have you feeling a little like you\u2019re in a movie. We sampled their famous burger and chips. (Yes, there is a theme going on here<\/a>. Strangely I haven\u2019t been able to eat a burger since returning from the States \ud83d\ude09 )<\/p>\n\"lex-bar-2013\"<\/a>\n\"IMG_3021\"<\/a>\n

4. Rare View<\/strong> \u2013 The roomy rooftop bar boasts glorious skyline views. There are often lines to get in during busy times but as a hotel guest you skip the queue. Score. The cocktails go down a treat, the vibe is laid-back yet sophisticated and the view, well it\u2019s picture perfect. Rumour has it, Fred Astaire used to play mini-golf here back in the day. Love a bit of old school glamour!<\/p>\n\"IMG_3025\"<\/a>\n

5. Free internet <\/strong>\u2013 If you\u2019re anything like me, you\u2019re always checking online for recommendations\/directions\/contact details when you\u2019re travelling so using the Wi-Fi in the lobby was an easy option. Beats trying to find the nearest Starbucks all the time \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

\"Times<\/a>
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Nicole and Mr LML stayed as guests of Affinia Hotels<\/h2>\n
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