Steps from Central Park, Rockefeller Center, MoMA, and the Theater District the Conrad Midtown offers Tremendous Value for and Boutique Suite New York City Experience.

The Conrad NewYork Midtown is a new offering from Hilton's boutique luxury line. It reopened in late 2019 after a full renovation and rebrand of the property formerly known as The London NYC.

Known as the "tall skinny building" on West 54th Street, it has stood since 1990 and changed management several times. The Conrad renovation was announced in 2017 and doesn't disappoint. Space is a luxury in Manhattan. How many times have you opened the door of a Manhattan hotel room to find a tight, viewless square? It is refreshing to enjoy space and small luxuries in a busy noisy city all while being steps from the heart of the action.

Check the reviews, prices and make a reservation at TripAdvisor by clicking here!

1. Location

For visiting the Manhattan, we love to be close to Central Park. Generally, it is quieter and depending on which side of Central Park you pick, you will be able to get to most destinations with ease on foot or subway. The Conrad offers a perfect location, within a 10 minute walk to either Times Square or Central Park in the north or south direction and 5 minutes to Fifth Avenue for the best shopping if you head east. A subway stop for most trains is located within a five minute walk allowing easy access to lower Manhattan. For most, there can't be a better location. Of course getting to Manhattan from New York area airports is one of the easier destinations to navigate, and you have many options depending on what is important to you:  comfort, ease, security, price or peace of mind. We chose Uber which was easy and economical.  

2. Check-in

We were greeted as at the door immediately and our luggage was swept away to meet us in our room after check in.  At the front desk we were greeted as booking through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) program immediately and were provided early check in our room. The staff was extremely polite, explaining the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts amenities, hotel amenities and walked us to our room.  An interesting figure greeting you in the lobby is the hyperrealist sculpture, "Lida & The Swan," by artist Carole A. Feuerman.

Rx Tip:

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3. Rooms

As we raved about above, the room was large by New York standards and decorated tastefully to reflect the beautiful area of Midtown Manhattan in which it is located. The hotel describes the rooms as “residential-style,’ and that is accurate. Our City View One Bedroom Suite had an adorable dining table for two with comfy leather chairs, subdued color tones with curated art (there are also original works by Matisse and Warhol to be found around the hotel), a large woven sofa and a custom wood console with drawers for everything from minibars to china for the Nespresso machine. The room fit the contemporary feel of NYC, with bay window in the living area overlooking the NYC skyline, curated artwork, complimentary water and chocolates, chairs, table and high ceilings.  We were upgraded to a higher floor and corner suite, providing us with more than ample space for our luggage and belongings as well as peace and quiet.

Sufficient amenities in the room are provided including:

• Nespresso maker
• Tea kettle
• Complimentary shoe shine
• Robes
• Slippers
• Bottled water
• Turndown service
• Complimentary welcome chocolates
• Streaming capability on two large screen televisions and music stations from SiriusXM.
• Air-conditioning that works!  Sometimes this is hard to find in New York City.

The bed was extremely comfortable with crisp ironed sheets and down pillows and comforters. To show the luxury service of this establishment, one of us had an allergic reaction to something in the room (mild with just skin irritation), housekeeping changed our all of our linens out and even switched from down to foam pillows and comforter while we were out to dinner. Which helped!

Our room was priced at $349 per night and FHR was running a third night free option, so overall with FHR inclusions summing to nearly $100 Per night per room, this was a bargain by midtown standards. Of course, there are also the thousand-dollar-per-night atrium, penthouse, and FAO-themed suites, if you're so inclined.

 Mini bar items are not included in your FHR property credit and a soda will run you $12!

Sufficient glassware is available if you wish to enjoy your own drinks!

The view from the window toward southeast Manhattan from the 49th floor.

4. Bathroom

The bathroom was perfect. We read some reviews that it was narrow, but we didn't feel this way at all. There was more than enough space for all of our toiletries and for both of us to get ready at the same time. The rainfall shower head provided a fabulous moment to relax. In fact this is one of the best showers we have experienced in NYC, where water pressure is often limited severely. If you require a tub, you will not find it here. A large sink with amenities, such as manicure kit, mouthwash and shower cap are provided. Products are by Shanghai Tang, similar to what the Mandarin Oriental has used in the past. Twice daily housekeeping service assures that you will have whatever you need should you wish.  Water pressure levels were perfect, something that we always enjoy when traveling for many reasons, the most common being that you can shower and bathe in a timely fashion when trying to get out and about!

5. Fitness

Unfortunately this is one of the weak points of the Conrad Midtown. There is a fitness room on site with sufficient machines and weights to meet the needs of most travelers, such as treadmills, bikes ellipticals, Kinesis machines, kettle bells, weights, etc.  Cool towels, headphones, water and dry towels are provided.  The size of the fitness room is large but broken up but our biggest complaint is that the cardio equipment is old. It is difficult to understand why a newly renovated hotel would keep equipment that is clearly over 10 years old. With the advent of streaming fitness, such as Peleton, this has come to be an expectation of ours at finer hotels. and if it there are many persons wanting to work out, it may be crowded.  The most we saw at one time in the fitness room was 6 persons, which was fine.

For the runners like us, many long runs can be done nearby in Central Park.  Even better, look for a race to support causes as there is always something going on in NYC!

6. Dining

Another of the weak spots during out stay at the Conrad Midtown is dining. There is only one option to have a drink, snack or meal at the Conrad: Dabble. Prices are high and offerings are few. Of course with FHR amenities, full breakfast buffet was included and we received a $100 property dining credit. If you are Hilton Honors Gold (Another Amex Platinum benefit) you will receive the same breakfast option. In lieu of the buffet, you can opt for a $30 per person credit at the restaurant or in-room dining for breakfast, but since the buffet is $39 per person, this is probably the better deal. The prices are high with a cocktail costing you over $20 and a hamburger will set you back nearly $30. It doesn't take long to spend your credit! Despite that we have to say the food was well-prepared with great flavor. Service in the restaurant was also very good.

RxTIP: 

There is a nice wine and liquor store located on seventh avenue and 54th street nearby. They have an excellent selection of wine and spirits. Their prices are high compared to most areas, but you can find yourself a nice bottle of something to enjoy with your family or friends. And since you have a suite, spend a nice evening of quiet conversation in your living room!

Of course, room service is available and we recommend considering your included FHR breakfast or hotel credit to be used in this way for special occasions.

We didn't partake in gluten free options, but when we discussed dining with the manager, we specifically asked about this concern of many travelers.  Gluten free options are always available upon request and the staff should always ask if you have any food allergies when serving.

7.  Our list of recommended restaurants while you stay that are located outside of the hotel

• La Goulue French cuisine in a lively and welcoming bistro chic setting
• Bolivian Llama Party for authentic Bolivian food for a great lunch on the run near Columbus Circle
• Cafe Boulud for a fabulous meal by French chef Daniel Boulud which is not as expensive as his flagship restaurant:
• Daniel - over the top meal for very special occasions. 
• Victor's Cafe - Great Cuban food and music.  It is perfect for a pre-theatre meal!
• Charlie Palmer at the Knick - great prix fixe theatre menu
• Wo Hop Chinese in Chinatown - get there early so you won't have to wait for a table.  It is small and they accept cash only!

Bottom Line:

Check the reviews of the Conrad Midtown NYC, prices and make a reservation at TripAdvisor by clicking here!

We loved our suite at the Conrad New York Midtown and would definitely stay here again if the price were right.  The suite experience in a nice touch in New York City, especially if you are traveling as a family or with friends.  You will enjoy the extra space.  If you are part of an elite program with Hilton or American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts, you will be able to get some perks that make the hotel even more worthwhile such as included breakfast buffet.  It may be too expensive if paying outright and there are better options for dining nearby.

The location is perfect to see just about everything in Manhattan either on foot of by train, especially if you plan to spend time taking in a show.

Fitness in New York isn't difficult when staying at The Conrad Midtown, the gym is acceptable but not excellent by our standards, and if you don't find enough healthy opportunities at the hotel or nearby Central Park, the concierge may be able to your needs through the relationships they have with local facilities.

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