After 4+ years, its time to backfill the log here, which this was meant to do.
Overall, spent around 4 months (a guess) in NYC and the metro area while working in the pre-sales field.
These were fun times. Many restaurants were taken in, but really just a few hotels. For the price, convenience and quality (and something that was ok with expense budgets), The Carlton Hotel was -and still is - my choice for NYC hotels. Of course, this just depends on the person and budget.
Positives:
- Great grande entrance (take your wife or girlfriend here)
- Concierge services are very good
- Great bar thats open late - super handy during blizzards! Huge ice cubes! Has that 'NYC feel'!
- Good restaurant food, Mediterranean selections
- Can easily work from restaurant
- Everyone is friendly
- Location: Gramercy - central to everything but UES / UWS
- Easy cabs, even at rush hour because its a ...
- Neighborhood, e.g., it's not Times Square et al
- Reasonable prices, usually between $230 and $330, depending on season. (In fact, this is pretty cheap for NYC).
- Great location if you want to do something eclectic like go to Korea-town for karaoke or a LES gritty brewhaus.
- Depending on when your booking, you may get a 2 room suite for under $300.
- Full mini bar.
Downsides:
- It gets booked pretty fast so get arranged a few weeks out.
- It had been in need of updating 3-4 years ago, might be even more in need now.
- Gramercy isn't really that happening itself, you probably want to go somewhere else.
