As someone who resides in the New York City area, there is one location I tend to avoid like the plague or a new Justin Bieber song- Times Square. Overcrowded with tourists who don’t know how to walk properly and stop in the middle of the road to take a selfie, horrible quality chain restaurants and just the gentrification of everything really makes this part of NYC a turn off (sorry/not sorry). However, there are some great gems throughout this small part of Manhattan, most notably in the vast array of hotels you can stay in. One of them is The Row NYC Hotel, located on 8th Avenue between 44th and 45th Street. Here is a little more about The Row Hotel from their official website–
Row NYC hotel has pioneered a new era of individuality among Time Square hotels by meeting NYC’s signature urban grit with grandeur. Row NYC transforms your stay into a completely contemporary experience- with a front row view to Times Square that’s truly incomparable. Our NYC hotel’s guests undeniably reside in the middle of it all, with exciting access to everything and anything – 24/7.
Located in the heart of Times Square, the Row NYC hotel was originally designed in 1928 by Herbert J. Knapp— theatre architect extraordinaire— and has remained its own dramatic New York icon…
In reviewing The Row NYC Hotel I noticed a huge flare in modern and classic architecture when it comes to the overall visual of the hotel itself. The look of the lobby read old school 1950’s and 60’s with a modern take that was quite visibly stunning. The usage of the color brown, normally not the most eye appealing color in any palate, really shines through and was quite welcoming upon my entrance inside.
Although there was a bit of a scuffle at check in due to a busy weekend, the majority of my stay was quite nice. The suite itself read three things- Glamour, Glitz, and Pizzazz. The portraits of stars from our yester-years like Mick Jagger, Jeri Hall amongst others with the endless pops of color the room really was phenomenally put together. I was in awe the minute I walked into the room as there was so much to look at, not to mention the amazing views of Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen right outside the window. The suite itself actually had such an amazing entrance that read like graffiti (see below) and acted as if this could be a place where you could truly live year round and have fabulous parties with your friends and family.
They also have a fantastic eatery located right in the lobby called District M, which bills itself as a ” European express cafe by day, a Neapolitan pizza bar and cocktail lounge by night” . I stopped by their for breakfast this morning and the supply they provide food and drink wise for their clientele was quite impressive, including hot steel cut oats, granola, fresh fruits and berries, Greek yogurt, boiled farm eggs, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, as well as a full European coffee program. Be on the lookout for their new initiative called City Kitchen, which you can also find on their website.
Overall I would give my experience an 8 out of 10, as the majority of what made it great was the suite itself. I would recommend staying there for anyone visiting the New York City area as for the looks and quality of the room I stayed in, it’s a no brainer.