Since retiring--and therefore no longer on an expense account when staying in New York--my criteria for a New York hotel have been whittled down to "Is there a bathroom in the room?", "Does it cost less than or not much over $200 per night?" and "Can I be reasonably certain I won't encounter roaches or bed bugs?". Based on the reviews, I was pretty sure the Newton would be acceptable. I was not prepared for it to be as good as it was. The room was quite spacious by New York bargain hotel standards. Everything appears to have been fairly recently redone--all the carpets (lobby, halls and room) seemed new, plush and very clean; the lighting includes recessed cans in the room corners and a new central fixture for brighter light, all on dimmers, plus a separate light for each side of the bed; the baths have all new faux granite tile [I would not have known it was faux but for a couple chips in one tile revealing the ceramic underneath], new toilets, sinks and tub/showers, all of which work perfectly, including the drains; and the bedroom includes a flat screen HDTV, microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker with free coffee and tea. The bed was wonderfully firm, but with a soft topping, so really quite comfortable. The air conditioning in the room was provided by a single in-the-window type unit, which was totally adequate (and I was there during a heat wave in July) to keep the room and bathroom cool. The lobby is really well air-conditioned, which is a treat when you first come in from the street on a hot day. The location is great if you want to be on the Upper West Side--the 96th Street Metro Station is right out the door. Right next door is a really great diner (the Manhattan) which is so clean you could eat off the floor. Not bad for lunch or dinner but really outstanding for a full diner-style breakfast. There is also an excellent tapas restaurant right around the corner (Buceo, 201 W 95th). All in all a delightful surprise.
hotel reviews