This is a belated review I am writing after staying in the hotel this summer. First off, let me just say - yes, the rooms are small, very small compared to hotel rooms in the rest of the country. However, this is true of almost any hotel in New York City, especially Manhattan. There just is not enough room for large hotel rooms as they are found in other parts of the country - real estate is at a premium. But I loved staying at the New Yorker.
The hotel is older, but I found the vintage features to be charming and I also enjoyed staying where so many prominent literary and historical figures stayed over the years. My room was tiny but comfortable and I loved my vintage-style bathroom. Room was very clean and quiet. I rarely heard noise from the hall or from the adjoining rooms, and door opening/closing noise has started to become my pet peeve in hotels, where you can hear doors slamming open and closed all day and night. Maid service was efficient and everything in the room worked well, and the staff was responsive when I needed them. No problems with the elevators. I found the room to be kind of an "oasis" from the city's noise and hustle.
The best part of the hotel is the location. The New Yorker is located literally on top of Penn Station and any entrance to the station - from which you can get anywhere in New York you need to - is mere feet away from the entrance. Madison Square Garden is just down the street, and there is nice shopping down the block in both directions - clothing, shoes, etc. Fifth Avenue is close and you can buy just about anything clothing-wise you want within a few blocks of the hotel, if you're inclined that way. The New Yorker is in a very busy and bustling area with lots of tourists, if that bothers you. But it is very easy to get cabs in front of the building (if you don't take the subway), and hotel is also in a very walkable neighborhood. I walked back to the hotel from Radio City Music Hall one night at about 10 pm and had a great time and never felt unsafe. The Tick Tock Diner, under the hotel, is OK. I ate there for one meal and it was nothing special, typical diner food. But it is nice to have an onsite meal option for long days when you don't feel like searching for a restaurant.
What I will say about the area is that it is kind of touristy and not upscale - there are mostly chain stores, chain restaurants, etc. If you're looking for posh, or quirky, you'll need to try another neighborhood. But that's relatively easily accomplished, with the subway so nearby.
I really think this is a gem as far as Manhattan hotels go - no frills, but nice rooms in a great location for a relatively reasonable price. During this same trip, I visited a friend who was staying in a very expensive upper East Side hotel and her room was no nicer or bigger than mine - but had cost her three times as much per night. In Manhattan, you do not always get bigger or better when you pay more, when it comes to hotels.
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