The Whitby Hotel

About The Whitby Hotel

The Whitby Hotel suits travelers who want a Midtown base within walking distance of the sights they came for. Couples can leave the lobby and reach Central Park in a few minutes, and theatergoers are about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) in a straight line from Broadway and the Theater District. Business travelers get a Grand Central Terminal address about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) away. Families and guests arriving late are covered too, since the listed facilities include family rooms and a 24 hour front desk.

The Whitby Hotel is a five-star property in Midtown Manhattan, at 18 West 56th Street. The booking supplier gives it a guest score of 4.6 out of 5 from 554 reviews, which places it among the better rated addresses in this part of the city. Expect a polished, city-center stay rather than a quiet retreat: the blocks around the hotel are busy through the day and into the evening. Rooms and rates are confirmed at the time of booking, so check the total price with taxes and fees in the IMPT app.

Rooms and listed facilities

The listed facilities at The Whitby Hotel cover the practical parts of a city stay. Couples have a restaurant, bars, a snack bar and room service, plus a fitness center and a terrace. Families can ask about family rooms and cribs. Business travelers get free Wi-Fi, internet access, a concierge, laundry service, luggage storage and elevators. Late arrivals can rely on the 24 hour front desk. Air conditioning, a safe, a minibar and a kitchenette appear on the list. Confirm the room layout you need, and the pet policy, directly with the property.

The setting

The Whitby Hotel stands at 18 West 56th Street, a Midtown block a short walk south of Central Park. In straight-line terms, Central Park at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street is about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) away, Times Square about 0.6 miles (1 km), Grand Central Terminal about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) and Penn Station about 1.2 miles (2 km). The Museum of Modern Art is about 0.1 miles (0.2 km) away, and Broadway and the Theater District about 0.5 miles (0.8 km). The 9/11 Memorial is about 4.0 miles (6.5 km) to the south.

Location and neighborhood

Midtown suits couples who like a slow start and a short walk to everything else. The blocks between 34th Street and Central Park South hold the Theater District, Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center, and the grid makes them easy to cross on foot. Fifth Avenue runs north to the park, and Broadway cuts across it at an angle, which is why the streets around Times Square feel less regular than the rest. Evenings bring people to the theaters; mornings belong to office workers and to anyone walking the park. The Whitby Hotel puts that mix within reach.

A weekend here can stay small. Coffee, a museum, a long lunch, a show, and the distances remain walkable. The Garment District north of 34th Street is quieter at weekends than the blocks near Times Square, and Bryant Park gives you a lawn, chairs and a place to sit without a plan. Museum Mile begins at 82nd Street, further north than most weekend routes need to go. Couples who prefer a calmer base often look at the eastern edge of Midtown, where the streets empty out after the offices close. The Whitby Hotel sits inside that pattern.

Getting there and around

Arriving is straightforward. JFK and Newark are typically 45 to 75 minutes away by road and rail depending on traffic and connections, and LaGuardia is the closest by road. 13 miles (21.4 km) is the straight-line distance to the airports; the ride itself follows the traffic. The main rail stations sit within 0.7 miles (1.1 km), and the center of the district is 0.6 miles (1 km) from the door. The subway runs 24 hours, paid by tapping a contactless card or phone, with a weekly cap on spending. Vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street pay a congestion toll.

Nearby sights and food

Most of the sights sit close together. The Theater District runs through Times Square, with around 40 Broadway houses and evening curtains usually at 7 or 8 pm, so check the show you plan to see. The Museum of Modern Art is on West 53rd Street. Observation decks at Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building and the tower beside Grand Central give three different views of the same grid. Grand Central Terminal rewards a slow look at the main concourse. Further west, Hudson Yards and the Vessel sit at the end of the High Line, and the Intrepid Museum is on the Hudson at 46th Street.

Food is the easy part. The blocks around Times Square and the Theater District carry a dense spread of places to eat before a curtain, from pizza slices and noodles to steakhouse menus. Ninth Avenue through the Garment District is a good line to walk when nobody wants to decide quickly. Bryant Park has benches for a takeaway lunch. For a slower meal, the side streets east of Fifth Avenue hold small dining rooms, and the Rockefeller Center concourse is useful on a wet day. Book ahead for weekend evenings, when tables near the theaters fill.

A day from The Whitby Hotel

Begin late. Breakfast somewhere near the hotel, then walk north on Fifth Avenue as the stores open and the sidewalks are still light. Turn into Bryant Park for a bench, or continue to the Museum of Modern Art and give it two hours rather than four. Lunch on a side street, unhurried. In the afternoon, choose one observation deck: the one at Rockefeller Center for the park view, or the Empire State Building for the grid. Rest before the evening. Dinner early, then a curtain at 7 or 8 pm, checked against the show. Afterward, walk back through Times Square when the crowds have thinned, and end with the long view down Broadway from The Whitby Hotel's block.

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.

• 24 Hour Front Desk
• Air conditioning
• Alarm clock
• Snack bar
• Bars
• Bath
• Bathrobe
• Bathroom
• Bidet
• Breakfast
• Breakfast in room
• Car rental service
• Carpeted
• Cleaning
• Concierge
• Crib
• Desk
• Dry cleaning service
• Family rooms
• First aid
• Fitness Center
• Free Wi-Fi
• Hairdryer
• Housekeeping
• Internet access
• Iron and board
• Kitchenette
• Laundry Service
• Elevators
• Lounge
• Luggage storage
• Massage
• Minibar
• Non smoking rooms
• Pets allowed
• Radio
• Restaurant
• Room Service
• Safe
• Security Features