Central Park South is a five-star spot to put your head. There’s The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, The Plaza and the Park Hyatt New York all in that space, to call just a few. And people are some hard-to-beat names with fancy worth tags to match. Nonetheless, there’s one lodge within the space the place you possibly can shave off measurable factors or {dollars} from the worth tag with out buying and selling away location: Thompson Central Park New York.
Fast take
First opened by this identify in 2021, Thompson Central Park New York (the previous Parker New York) sits in a chief midtown location inside just a few blocks of Central Park, Instances Sq. and the theaters of Broadway, making it nice for each vacationers and frequent guests.
World of Hyatt elite standing members are effectively acknowledged at this property. Suite upgrades appear frequent for Hyatt Globalists in our three check visits and the included Globalist breakfast is certainly one thing to put in writing house about.
Getting there
The Thompson Central Park New York is within the coronary heart of midtown, on 56th Avenue between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue. In a couple of minutes, you possibly can stroll to it from the 57th Avenue subway station, a useful transit level for the N, Q, R and W trains. Relying on visitors, it is about half-hour by automobile from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and roughly an hour from John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK).
For the latter, you possibly can anticipate to pay between $52 and $60 to get to the lodge, relying on whether or not you hail a journey or take a cab. If in case you have just a little extra time to spare and need to get monetary savings, take the AirTrain at JFK to Jamaica Heart after which journey the E subway line to Seventh Avenue/53rd Avenue; this selection will solely price you $10.50.
Reserving particulars
Do not anticipate any outright bargains at this new 587-room property — however in comparison with some neighbors, it may be a much less painful alternative in your pockets. Normal room charges appear to begin round $400 per night time with money or 21,000 factors if paying with World of Hyatt factors.
Taxes and costs, together with a pesky vacation spot price — levied for what must be inclusions, resembling premium Wi-Fi, health heart entry, long-distance cellphone calls and one bottle of water — add greater than $50 per night time if saying on money.
Thankfully, the pet-friendly lodge is a wonderful place to redeem factors. It is also a high spot if you happen to’re wanting to make use of a Hyatt Class 1-7 award in New York. You may pay as few as 21,000 World of Hyatt factors per night time for the standard room at this Class 6 property. That leads to a worth of greater than 2 cents per level on many dates, which is above TPG’s present valuation of Hyatt factors at 1.7 cents every. Plus, the vacation spot price is waived for award redemptions.
You could possibly snag a free night time there with the World of Hyatt Credit score Card by incomes as much as 30,000 bonus factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months and as much as 30,000 extra bonus factors by incomes 2 bonus factors whole per $1 spent within the first six months, on as much as $15,000 spent.
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Standout options
- A triple-threat location because of its proximity to a multiline subway cease, Central Park and among the Large Apple’s hottest sights, resembling Broadway theaters, Rockefeller Heart and Radio Metropolis Music Corridor.
- Spacious suites with intelligent swiveling TVs and 400-thread-count Italian mattress linens.
- Wonderful perks for elite members, together with beneficiant complimentary upgrades and a scrumptious full breakfast.
- Step-free accessibility, broad entrances and loads of area to maneuver all through the property.
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Drawbacks
- Sparse foyer with restricted locations to take a seat within the occasion you have to kill time ready for check-in or your journey to choose you up.
- On-site meals choices are both costly (Parker’s) or very busy (Burger Joint).
- The lodge fees a pesky $35 vacation spot price on money stays that does not convey very a lot worth.
- Whereas the higher flooring (often known as Higher Tales) do have their very own lounge and upgraded look, they don’t seem to be eligible for Hyatt upgrades.
The vibe
Thompson Central Park is a quiet, subtle escape from the flurry of exercise and noise on the streets round it. Its location in midtown Manhattan is interesting to each first-time guests to New York and people who are already conversant in town however need to take pleasure in close by actions and locations resembling Central Park and even the Broadway reveals close to Instances Sq..
There’s a fashionable, darkish, moody and spacious foyer, which options hovering, 36-foot-high ceilings, and a palette of beige and brown with pops of shade because of brilliant paintings thoughtfully hung all through the bottom flooring, together with the dramatic crimson curtain that’s “hiding” a well-liked burger joint.
Whereas the general design is darkish and peaceable, ultimate for visitors in search of respite from the vitality of close by Instances Sq., there’s a potential scarcity of locations to take a seat for visitors needing a spot to cross the time.
The room
In all three “check” stays completed by TPG employees with Globalist standing, an ordinary room reserving has been upgraded to a 450-square-foot studio king suite, which is fairly palatial by my regular Manhattan lodge requirements.
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BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
The darkish wooden floors contrasted properly with the white partitions and ceilings and all of the gold accents all through. The “kitchen” space has a breakfast bar with stools that have been snug sufficient to work at for a morning. And the full-size inexperienced crushed-velvet couch was snug for watching TV or having a visitor over for a pre-dinner cocktail.
The mirror-backed swiveling TV was as sensible because it was fashionable, permitting for simple TV viewing from the couch or the mattress. The king-size mattress, wearing 400-thread-count Italian linens, was like sinking right into a cloud.
Regardless of its proximity to Central Park, a lot of the lodge’s rooms do not actually present a take a look at the park, because the skyscrapers to the north battle one another for these million-dollar views. The dirty, south-facing home windows of my room did not provide a lot of a view aside from into residences and workplaces throughout 56th Avenue.
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The toilet, like the remainder of the room, was spacious sufficient, although it solely featured a single self-importance. The walk-in bathe was a pleasure to begin the day in, with twin showerheads and toiletries by Brooklyn-based D.S. & Durga. The cheeky message on the washcloth, “take it off,” appeared at odds with the restrained luxurious of the remainder of the room, which typically felt extra on par with what you’d discover at a Waldorf Astoria.
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Food and drinks
Throughout our late 2021 keep, whereas the lodge was ending among the remaining opening phases, room service breakfast was included for Hyatt Globalists. The steak and eggs have been completely cooked, and the mini ketchup and mayonnaise bottles have been a cute contact. The cappuccino arrived wrapped in plastic however tasted excellent, even to somebody who’s fussy about Italian-style espresso.
On our subsequent 2022 and early 2023 stays, the Globalist room service choice was not talked about, so it is attainable that was an oversight, or it is attainable that with the restaurant now totally operational, that is the present location to money in your Globalist perks to begin the day.
Talking of which, the avocado toast, crispy French toast and fruit bowl in Parker’s are all completely mouthwatering. If paying with money, every is $20-$30 (sure, even the fruit bowl), so finances accordingly, but it surely’s a decadent and indulgent breakfast with glorious service for positive.
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SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
There may be an surprising however reportedly glorious “hidden” Burger Joint subsequent to the reception space. It feels probably misplaced except considered via the lens that the Thompson model’s aim is to meld luxurious stays with genuine city, native experiences. Throughout meal occasions, there’s typically a line stretching down the hallway to get in, so attempt to eat throughout off-hours or put together for a wait.
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Facilities and repair
There’s a stable vary of cardio tools within the lodge’s health heart for these seeking to sustain their exercises throughout a keep. Subsequent door to the fitness center was a nail salon and hairdresser, although they appeared like they belonged in a shopping center as an alternative of a luxurious spa. Sadly, there was no swimming pool at this property.
Service right here is commonly fairly proactive, together with the doorman providing instantly to assist with baggage, immediate assist with changing the couch mattress when requested and attentive service on the restaurant.
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Out and about
The comfort of being a five-minute stroll from Central Park and near Billionaires’ Row is unbelievable. If you’re out exploring, odds are you could spot a few of Manhattan’s uber-wealthy elite. You may simply seize some takeaway lunch from one of many numerous avenue distributors close to Central Park’s entrance (attempt halal lamb over rice) to benefit from the park and people-watching. For one thing fancier, close by La Grande Boucherie affords a beautiful Paris-inspired atrium for ventilated eating.
Radio Metropolis Music Corridor, Rockefeller Heart (with its dreamy, festive ice rink within the winter and curler skating rink within the hotter months) and the Museum of Trendy Artwork are additionally mere blocks away.
Accessibility
The lodge is superb for accessibility, with no steps noticed through the entirety of our stays.
The doorway, foyer and halls are broad and spacious, creating an accessible route that extends from the general public entry to the visitor rooms. Although the fitness center is situated on a decrease stage reachable via a separate entrance subsequent door, it is related by an easy-to-access elevator.
Trying out
Thompson Central Park is the proper alternative if you need a good, full-service lodge in a five-star location however do not want or need the over-the-top luxurious of, say, the Park Hyatt or St. Regis New York. On the flip aspect, if that is nonetheless extra in worth and facilities than you want, then take a look at the Grayson, bookable from 17,000 World of Hyatt factors.
However so far as Thompson Central Park goes, the rooms are effectively designed and cozy, the Hyatt Globalist perks and breakfast are unbelievable, and the sensible location makes it an amazing addition to New York’s aggressive luxurious lodge scene.
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