The Peninsula New York

About The Peninsula New York

Fifth Avenue at 55th Street puts Central Park a short walk north and the Museum of Modern Art a few blocks away. Couples on a first New York trip, business travelers with meetings around Midtown, and families who prefer a settled address near the shops all fit here. The Fifth Avenue setting also helps anyone planning evenings in the Theater District, about about two-thirds of a mile away.

This is a five-star hotel on Fifth Avenue, and the booking supplier gives it a guest score of 4.6 out of 5 from 1722 reviews. That score reflects a large body of recent stays rather than a single visit. Expect a formal, full-service Midtown hotel with an indoor pool, a spa, a fitness center and a restaurant among the listed facilities. Rooms are air conditioned and come with free Wi-Fi. Business travelers and couples marking an occasion fit this kind of address.

Rooms and listed facilities

Listed facilities cover the practical parts of a city stay. Cribs and family rooms help parents traveling with children, while a business center, free Wi-Fi and breakfast in room suit anyone working on Midtown time. Late arrivals can rely on the 24-hour front desk and room service. Couples have an indoor pool, a spa and a bar for unwinding after a show. Parking, pets and shuttle service are listed too. Confirm the details that matter to you with the property before booking, including room type, bed size and the total price with taxes and fees.

Guests who book a room here should read the listed facilities as a starting point rather than a full picture. A concierge can help with tickets and reservations, and the fitness center covers a morning workout. Families can ask about cribs and family rooms, and drivers can ask about parking. Check with The Peninsula New York about the specifics of any room, including what a given rate includes, before you commit.

The setting

The hotel stands at 700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street, in Midtown Manhattan. Central Park, at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, is about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) away in a straight line, and the Museum of Modern Art about 0.1 miles (0.2 km). Times Square and Grand Central Terminal are each about 0.6 miles (1 km) off, the Theater District about 0.6 miles (0.9 km), and Penn Station about 1.2 miles (2 km). The 9/11 Memorial is about 4.0 miles (6.5 km) south. This is a walking address for Midtown sights, with the subway close by for everything else.

Location and neighborhood

Long stays in Midtown work best when you treat the neighborhood as a base rather than a sight to conquer. The street grid makes walking predictable: numbered streets run east to west, avenues north to south, and Fifth Avenue divides east from west addresses. The Peninsula New York sits inside that grid, so most errands on foot take minutes rather than a subway ride. Groceries, pharmacies and laundry services are scattered along Eighth and Ninth Avenues in the Garment District, which keeps a week-long stay practical. Midtown stays busy at all hours, and a room here removes a daily commute to the rest of the island.

Budget planning in Midtown starts with what costs nothing. Central Park begins at 59th Street and is free to enter, the Staten Island Ferry leaves from the southern tip of the island at no charge, and the 9/11 Memorial pools can be visited without a ticket. Theater is the one worthwhile splurge, and timing matters: evening curtains usually rise at 7 or 8 pm, and same-day seats sometimes appear during the day, so check the show and ask at the box office. On a longer stay, pick two paid sights and let the rest of the week run on foot.

Getting there and around

Arriving is simple. The airports lie around 13 miles (21.3 km) away, and road or rail connections typically take 45 to 75 minutes to Midtown depending on traffic; AirTrain links JFK and Newark to the subway and commuter rail. The Peninsula New York sits around 0.6 miles (1 km) from Penn Station, and Port Authority Bus Terminal handles regional buses on the west side. The subway runs 24 hours, paid by tapping a contactless card or phone at the turnstiles. Vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street pay a congestion toll. The center of the district is around 0.6 miles (1 km) away, and the grid is flat and easy on foot.

Nearby sights and food

Midtown packs a large share of the city's sights into a small radius. Broadway's theaters cluster around Times Square, roughly forty houses in all. The Museum of Modern Art stands north of Bryant Park, and the main public library branch faces the park on Fifth Avenue. Grand Central Terminal is worth a look for its concourse alone. Observation decks at the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt give different views; Edge adds an outdoor platform at Hudson Yards, where the Vessel stands. The Intrepid Museum sits on the Hudson at 46th Street.

Eating well on a budget in Midtown takes a little looking, since the blocks closest to Times Square aim at visitors. Ninth Avenue in the Garment District and the side streets of the Theater District hold a mix of Thai, Indian, Mexican, Korean and Middle Eastern kitchens, many small and family run. Lunch counters, slice shops, dumpling rooms and food halls keep portions generous and queues fast. For longer stays, delis and grocery aisles cover breakfast and picnic lunches. Save table service for one or two evenings; elsewhere, counter seating is quicker and easier on the wallet.

A day from The Peninsula New York

Start before the crowds. Head to Bryant Park for a coffee and a bench, then continue north on Fifth Avenue to the Museum of Modern Art when the doors open; weekday mornings are calmer than weekends. Cross into Central Park at 59th Street and follow the paths north for a while, then come back down for an inexpensive lunch at a counter or food hall. In the afternoon, ride to the Financial District for the Staten Island Ferry, which is free and passes the Statue of Liberty. Return to The Peninsula New York to change, then take in a 7 or 8 pm curtain and eat after the show, when tables thin 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.

• 24 Hour Front Desk
• 24-hour security
• ATM
• Air conditioning
• Alarm clock
• Babysitting service
• Banquet
• Barber/Beauty Salon
• Bars
• Bath
• Bathrobe
• Bathroom
• Bike rental service
• Breakfast
• Breakfast in room
• Business Center
• CD Player
• Car rental service
• Cleaning
• Coffee
• Concierge
• Crib
• Currency exchange
• Desk
• Dry cleaning service
• DVD player
• Express check in
• Family rooms
• Fax
• First aid
• Fitness Center
• Free Wi-Fi
• Garage
• Garden
• Hairdryer
• Housekeeping
• Indoor pool
• Internet access
• iPod dock
• Iron and board