Hilton Club New York

Overview

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first walked into Hilton Club New York, I wasn’t expecting much from a three-star property smack in the middle of Midtown. But you know what? This place actually surprised me. It’s tucked right there on Avenue of the Americas (which, let’s be real, everyone just calls Sixth Avenue), and while it doesn’t have the marble lobbies of those fancy hotels down the street, there’s something refreshingly straightforward about it that I really appreciated.

The location is honestly pretty fantastic if you’re planning to do the full tourist thing. I mean, you’re literally a five-minute walk from Central Park – I’d grab coffee from the little cart outside and head straight to the park for morning runs. Times Square is close enough that you can walk there without breaking a sweat, but far enough that you’re not dealing with the complete chaos at your doorstep. What I loved most was being so close to all those great delis and actual New York spots that locals frequent. There’s this amazing bagel place just two blocks down that the hotel staff told me about – definitely not something you’d find in a guidebook.

The rooms themselves are pretty solid for New York standards, which honestly means they’re smaller than what you’d get anywhere else, but they’re clean and functional. The beds were comfortable enough that I didn’t wake up feeling like I’d been wrestling all night, and the AC actually worked properly (you’d be surprised how often that’s not the case in older NYC buildings). One thing that caught me off guard was how quiet it was – I was expecting typical city noise, but somehow the rooms are well-insulated from all the street sounds. The staff was genuinely helpful too, not just going through the motions like at some chain hotels. When I needed restaurant recommendations beyond the usual tourist traps, the front desk guy actually gave me his personal favorites, and they were spot-on. I will say the elevators can be a bit slow during peak times, but honestly, that’s pretty standard for buildings in this part of the city. For what you’re paying and where you’re staying, the Hilton Club delivers exactly what you need without any pretense – it’s a solid home base for exploring the city without breaking the bank on accommodation.