Little Charlie Hotel

About Little Charlie Hotel

Little Charlie Hotel suits travelers who want a straightforward base in Midtown East and plan to spend most of the day out in the city. Couples on a short break, solo visitors and small families can walk to Grand Central Terminal and reach Times Square, Central Park and several observation decks without crossing the island. The Second Avenue address puts subway connections, offices and everyday Midtown errands close by, so the day starts early and ends without a long ride back.

This is a two-star hotel in Midtown Manhattan, so expect a compact, practical city stay rather than resort-style extras. The booking supplier gives Little Charlie Hotel a guest score of 4.7 out of 5 from 356 reviews, which points to steady satisfaction among guests who have already stayed. Read that score as the supplier's summary of past stays, not a promise for every room or date. The property works best as a place to sleep, shower and leave bags while the city does the rest.

Rooms and listed facilities

The supplier lists air conditioning, free wifi and internet access, a safe, lifts, laundry service, luggage storage and wheelchair access, which cover the basics for couples and business travelers. Family rooms and a cot are listed too, so a small family can ask about sleeping arrangements before booking. Room service is listed for late arrivals who reach the hotel after a long journey. Confirm the exact room layout, the cot policy and the hours of room service with the property when you book.

Guests who book here tend to want a quiet room to return to after a full day, and the listed air conditioning and wifi support that. Business travelers can work in the room and store bags through the day with luggage storage. Couples and families should ask about bed configurations rather than assume, and anyone with access needs should confirm the details of the accessible rooms with the property before booking.

The setting

Little Charlie Hotel is at 837 Second Avenue in Midtown East, a Midtown Manhattan address on the East Side of the island, close to Grand Central Terminal and the streets around it. The distances are straight line: about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) to Grand Central Terminal, about 0.9 miles (1.4 km) to Times Square, about 0.9 miles (1.4 km) to the corner of Central Park at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, and about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) to the nearest observation decks. Penn Station is about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) away.

Location and neighborhood

Turtle Bay sits east of the office core, on the side streets between the United Nations and the East River. Couples often settle here for the pace: evenings are calm, mornings start slowly, and a weekend can be built from two or three short walks rather than a schedule. The blocks are mostly residential, with the river at the end of the street and the Theater District a walk west. Grand Central Terminal and the Chrysler Building anchor the southern edge. Slow travel suits this neighborhood. Plan less than you think you should and let the side streets fill the time.

Midtown East runs from Fifth Avenue to the East River, between 42nd and 59th Streets, and holds two moods. Near the avenues the blocks are busy with offices and lunch crowds. Toward the river they thin out after working hours, and that is when the area suits a couple on a slow weekend. The street grid is easy to read: numbered streets run east to west, avenues north to south, and Fifth Avenue divides East from West addresses. The United Nations sits on the riverfront near 42nd Street, and Grand Central Terminal is the transport anchor at 42nd and Park Avenue.

Getting there and around

Grand Central Terminal is around 0.3 miles (0.5 km) from Little Charlie Hotel, with subway and commuter trains under one roof. The subway runs 24 hours a day. Payment is by tapping a contactless card or phone at the turnstile, and the older swipe card is being phased out, so tap to pay where you can. The airports are around 13 miles (20.4 km) away by road: JFK by AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach, Newark Liberty by its AirTrain and a train into Penn Station, LaGuardia closest by road with the free Q70 link to the subway. Check service changes before a late arrival. The central Midtown blocks are around 0.9 miles (1.4 km) from Little Charlie Hotel.

Nearby sights and food

Most of the well-known sights sit within a short walk or one subway ride of the area. Grand Central Terminal, at 42nd Street and Park Avenue, rewards an unhurried look at the concourse, and the Chrysler Building stands a block east. The United Nations occupies the riverfront nearby; visitor access can change, so check ahead. The Museum of Modern Art is west of Fifth Avenue, within walking distance. Two observation decks are close: one at the Empire State Building, one next to Grand Central. The Intrepid Museum, on the Hudson, and Hudson Yards with the Vessel are a longer ride west.

Eating well needs no research in Midtown East, though the better places tend to be quiet rather than famous. Turtle Bay holds a cluster of Japanese restaurants, from noodle shops to counters serving sushi and rice bowls, plus Irish pubs and Italian trattorias on the side streets. Near Grand Central, steakhouses and food halls feed the office crowds at lunch. For a slow weekend, look for a bakery in the morning, a wine bar in the late afternoon, and a neighborhood dining room where nobody hurries you out. Reserve ahead for Saturday dinner.

A day from Little Charlie Hotel

A day from Little Charlie Hotel starts slowly. Coffee and a pastry on a side street, then west to Grand Central Terminal to see the concourse before the crowds build. Continue to the Museum of Modern Art for two hours, or skip it and walk north through Midtown to Central Park, which is free to enter. Lunch near the office blocks, then a rest. In the late afternoon, take an elevator to an observation deck, or head west to Hudson Yards and the Vessel. Dinner in Turtle Bay, then a Broadway show; curtains are usually at 7 or 8 pm, so check the show.

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.

• Air conditioning
• Bathroom
• Cleaning
• Crib
• Desk
• Family rooms
• First aid
• Free Wi-Fi
• Hairdryer
• Internet access
• Iron and board
• Laundry Service
• Elevators
• Luggage storage
• Non smoking rooms
• Room Service
• Safe
• Security Features
• Smoke detector
• TV
• Towels
• Wheelchair accessible
• Wi-Fi