Midtown Convention Center

About Midtown Convention Center

Midtown Convention Center suits travelers who want a simple, well-placed base in Chelsea and intend to spend most of the day out in the city. Penn Station is about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) away in a straight line, so arrival with luggage is short work, and Times Square sits about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) north. Couples on a city break, small families and business travelers on a tight schedule get an address close to the West Side, with the trade-off of a plain, practical setting rather than a destination in itself.

Midtown Convention Center is a 2-star hotel with a straightforward, no-frills character. The booking supplier gives it a guest score of 3.0 out of 5 from 466 reviews, which points to a functional stay rather than a polished one. Expect a workable room, a lift to your floor and staff who handle the basics. Book through the IMPT app to see the total price with taxes and fees, since New York City hotel bills add taxes and a per-night occupancy charge to the room rate.

Rooms and listed facilities

Rooms at Midtown Convention Center come with air conditioning, a safe and wifi that the supplier lists as free, which covers the essentials for a couple or a solo business trip. Lifts serve the floors, a concierge handles basic questions and car parking is listed for guests arriving by road. The listed gymnasium and business center suit anyone keeping to a routine, and laundry service helps on a longer stay. Families should confirm bed types and room size with the property before booking, and late arrivals should check reception hours in advance.

The supplier lists bars at Midtown Convention Center, which gives guests a place to end the day without crossing the neighborhood. Business travelers can use the business center and free wifi for a short working session, and couples get air conditioning, a safe and lifts to the room floors. Confirm breakfast arrangements, parking space availability and gym access hours with the property when you book, since these details are handled directly by the hotel.

The setting

Midtown Convention Center stands at 522 West 38th Street in the Midtown West part of Chelsea, on a side street west of the main avenue grid, with the Hudson River waterfront to the west. Central Park, at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, is about 1.4 miles (2.2 km) north; the 9/11 Memorial is about 3.3 miles (5.3 km) south.

Location and neighborhood

Families who base themselves on the West Side between roughly 14th and 34th Streets get two districts in one. Chelsea is the older of the pair: low brick blocks, converted warehouses, galleries, and a street grid that stays easy to read. Hudson Yards is the newer edge, a cluster of towers and public squares at the northern end, built over the West Side rail yards. The two sit side by side, so a morning in one and an afternoon in the other takes little planning. Midtown Convention Center places you between them, with the High Line as a natural route north.

The subway is the simplest way to shorten a walk, and the stations along Seventh and Eighth Avenues put most of the district within a stop or two. The High Line has lifts at several entrances, which helps with strollers, though the narrowest stretches fill up at weekends. Shade is scarce on the new plazas; the river park and the tree-lined side streets stay cooler. Wind off the Hudson is sharp in winter, so layers matter. Public restrooms and benches are easiest to find in the larger parks and squares. Keep the day short and leave room for a slow walk back.

Getting there and around

Getting to Chelsea and Hudson Yards is straightforward. JFK and Newark Liberty both connect by AirTrain to rail and subway lines that end at Penn Station, around 1.1 miles (1.8 km) from Midtown Convention Center. The airports themselves sit around 14 miles (22.6 km) away. LaGuardia is closest by road, with a free bus link to the subway. Within the district, walking covers most of it; the subway runs all night for longer hops, and contactless tap-to-pay works at every turnstile. Congestion pricing applies to vehicles entering the streets below 60th Street, so check the current terms with the MTA before driving in.

Nearby sights and food

The High Line is the district's signature walk, an elevated path on a former freight line from Gansevoort Street to West 34th Street, free to enter. Hudson Yards adds the Vessel and a public square beneath the towers. Little Island and Hudson River Park give children room to run beside the water, with lawns, paths and playgrounds. North of the district, the Theater District holds around 40 Broadway houses, with evening curtains usually at 7 or 8 pm; check each show. The Intrepid Museum occupies a pier further up the river, and Midtown's observation decks are a short subway ride away.

Food in the district suits families well. Chelsea Market holds a hall of stalls and small kitchens, useful when everyone wants something different and nobody wants to wait long. Around the side streets you will find pizza by the slice, bagel shops, diners, tacos, ramen and Italian bakeries, most of them casual and quick. Hudson Yards adds sit-down places in the towers, better for a planned dinner than a spur-of-the-moment stop. Book ahead for anything popular on a weekend evening, and check opening days before you go.

A day from Midtown Convention Center

A day from Midtown Convention Center works best in two halves. Start with the High Line in the morning, entering at the southern end and walking north with the children, then drop into Chelsea Market for a mid-morning snack. Carry on to Hudson Yards to see the Vessel and let everyone rest in the square. After lunch, cross to Hudson River Park or Little Island for open space and water views. Keep the evening light: a walk back through the side streets, or a subway ride north if a Broadway show is booked. Check times before you set out.

Distances

Facilities listed by the supplier

As listed by the booking supplier; a facility not listed here may still exist. Confirm anything important with the property.

• ATM
• Air conditioning
• Bars
• Business Center
• Car parking
• Concierge
• Dry cleaning service
• Facilities for disabled
• Free Wi-Fi
• Gym
• Iron and board
• Laundry Service
• Elevators
• Multilingual staff
• Non smoking rooms
• Reception area
• Safe
• TV
• Telephone
• Wi-Fi