Hotel review: New York, New York!

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.

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’s… you get the picture.

Where to stay though? That one is a little harder! I know what you’re thinking. Accommodation in New York is ridiculously expensive, right? Well, if you’re 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.

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.

Affinia Manhattan

The hotel room

A stay here gave us a taste of NYC apartment living and to say I liked it is an understatement.

The Big Apple isn’t 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.

I absolutely loved the decor – modern and fresh without trying too hard. It had a bit of personality.

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’s 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’re spending too much time dozing in the city that never sleeps, you’re doing it wrong.

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’s these little luxuries that make a big difference when you’re comparing hotel rooms.

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’t a local!

Good morning NYC, from our very own terrace!

Five other things to love about Affinia Manhattan

1. You’re in the action: Situated on Seventh Avenue, you’re in the middle of the mid-town scene but don’t 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’s… need I say more.

2. Pillow menu – Why make do with a standard pillow when you can take your pick from six dream pillow options? My favourite had to be the ‘sound pillow’: 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).

3. An onsite restaurant you actually want to go to – Hotel restaurants can be a bit hit and miss. Niles Restaurant and Bar falls into the hit category. It’s 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!

4. It’s the little things – Affinia offer complimentary experience kits to help you make the most of your stay. The ‘BYOB Kit’ with a wine holder and picnic blanket is super cute and perfect for a Central Park picnic and for the fitness fanatics the ‘Stay Fit kit’ with yoga mat, stretching blocks, Pilates and yoga DVDs and more will give you a bit of zen.

5. The Laundry– Okay this sounds super boring but hear me out. When you’re 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 😉 We tossed our items then headed next door to the gym. Got to love multi-tasking.

Affinia Shelburne

The hotel room

It’s 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.

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.

The bed was super comfy, perfect for a post-shopping nap…

Mr LML… under there somewhere

Five other things to love to about Affinia Shelburne

1. Neighbourhood vibe – 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.

Welcome to the neighbourhood.

2. Concierge extraordinaire – Honestly, I had the best concierge experience I’ve ever had at Affinia Shelburne. They secured great and relatively cheap tickets to the Lion King on Broadway for us at short notice – not an easy task! – and were always super helpful. Big thumbs up.

3. Raw Bar and Grill – The tavern style setting will have you feeling a little like you’re in a movie. We sampled their famous burger and chips. (Yes, there is a theme going on here. Strangely I haven’t been able to eat a burger since returning from the States 😉 )

4. Rare View – 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’s picture perfect. Rumour has it, Fred Astaire used to play mini-golf here back in the day. Love a bit of old school glamour!

5. Free internet – If you’re anything like me, you’re always checking online for recommendations/directions/contact details when you’re travelling so using the Wi-Fi in the lobby was an easy option. Beats trying to find the nearest Starbucks all the time 😉

Nicole and Mr LML stayed as guests of Affinia Hotels