Aloft Harlem

About Aloft Harlem

Aloft Harlem suits travelers who want a straightforward, well-connected base in Upper Manhattan rather than the midtown hotel core. Harlem's restaurants, jazz history and brownstone streets sit on the doorstep, and Central Park is about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) away in a straight line. Couples on a long weekend, friends in town for a concert, and business travelers with meetings uptown all fit here. A 24 hour front desk covers late arrivals, and pets are allowed, which helps longer family trips.

Aloft Harlem is a 3-star hotel at 2296 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, in Harlem, Upper Manhattan. The booking supplier's guest score is 4.1 out of 5 from 1187 reviews, a solid figure for a hotel of this class. Expect a mid-range, modern stay rather than full-service formality: listed facilities include free wifi, a fitness center and a business center. Rooms and rates vary, so check the total price with taxes and fees in the IMPT app before booking.

Rooms and listed facilities

Listed facilities at Aloft Harlem cover the practical side of a city stay. Free wifi, air conditioning and a 24 hour front desk work for late arrivals, while the fitness center and gymnasium suit anyone keeping a routine on the road. Couples can ask for a quieter room away from the street; families should confirm bed setup and whether a crib is available at booking. Business travelers can ask about the business center, laundry service and luggage storage. Confirm parking and valet parking, and any facility fee, with the property.

The listed bar and lounge, breakfast service and safe give a short stay at Aloft Harlem an easy shape: coffee and something to eat before heading out, a drink at the end of the day, valuables left behind in the room. Lifts, carpeted floors and luggage storage help with heavy bags, and the 24 hour security and front desk cover odd arrival times. Ask the property which of these are open during your dates, and confirm breakfast arrangements at booking.

The setting

Aloft Harlem stands at 2296 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, in Harlem, Upper Manhattan. Central Park is about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) away in a straight line, and its Fifth Avenue edge at 59th Street is about 3.3 miles (5.3 km). Times Square is about 4.0 miles (6.4 km) in a straight line, Grand Central Terminal 4.1 miles (6.6 km), Penn Station 4.6 miles (7.4 km). LaGuardia Airport is about 4.7 miles (7.5 km), JFK about 15 miles (23.7 km). Streets here follow the grid north of 14th Street, with Broadway cutting across.

The neighborhood around Aloft Harlem is largely residential, with the commercial stretch of West 125th Street and the streets of central Harlem a short walk or bus ride away. The 9/11 Memorial is about 7.5 miles (12 km) south in a straight line, and the midtown sights sit between the two. Subway stations in the area connect the address to the rest of Manhattan, and service changes are worth checking with the MTA before a long day out.

Location and neighborhood

Harlem sits at the top of Manhattan, running north from the edge of Central Park to the Harlem River. West 125th Street is the neighborhood's main cross street, and the Apollo Theater's sign above the sidewalk is the landmark most first-time visitors look for first. South of 125th Street the blocks are a mix of brownstones, churches and low apartment buildings; north of it the streets climb toward Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights. Street numbers rise as you go north, and Fifth Avenue divides East from West, so an address tells you which side of the block to walk.

Sunday morning is the time many first-time visitors plan around. Several churches in Harlem hold gospel services that welcome guests, and the sound of a choir is part of the neighborhood's weekend rhythm. Services are acts of worship rather than performances: arrive early, dress neatly, keep phones away, and follow the seating instructions you are given. Times vary by congregation, so check with the individual church before you set out. Weekday mornings are quieter, and the brownstone side streets south of 125th Street reward a slow walk with a look at stoops, carved doors and small front gardens.

Getting there and around

Harlem is well connected by subway, and trains run 24 hours a day. Stations along 125th Street put the rest of Manhattan within a few stops: tap a contactless card or phone at the turnstile and check the current service before you travel, since weekend diversions are common. Aloft Harlem is around 4.0 miles (6.4 km) from Midtown's core, around 4.1 miles (6.6 km) from Grand Central Terminal and around 15 miles (23.7 km) from the airports. Allow 45 to 75 minutes for JFK or Newark depending on traffic and connections. Buses run along the main avenues, and walking works well for the blocks around the hotel.

Nearby sights and food

Central Park starts at Harlem's southern edge, at 110th Street, and its 843 acres are free to enter; the northern end, with its Meer and wooded paths, is quieter than the lawns further south. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, where Museum Mile begins, and the American Museum of Natural History is on Central Park West at 79th Street. All three are a short subway ride or a long walk from Aloft Harlem. Check opening days and ticketing before you go, and book timed entry where a museum offers it.

Eating in Harlem covers a wide range. Soul food kitchens serve long-standing neighborhood staples, and Caribbean, West African and Latin American cooking is easy to find along and around 125th Street, from counter-service places to family-run dining rooms. Bakeries sell bread and pastries through the morning, delis and groceries fill the gaps, and coffee shops on the side streets are good for a sit-down break. Weekend brunch is busy, so a later lunch on Sundays is easier. Check opening hours on public holidays, when some kitchens close.

A day from Aloft Harlem

Start with a walk south into Central Park at 110th Street, where paths lead past the Harlem Meer and the North Woods; morning is the calmest time. Break for coffee and a late breakfast near 125th Street, then take the subway down to Museum Mile for an afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, checking opening days first. Return to Harlem in the late afternoon to walk the brownstone blocks and to see the Apollo Theater's block on West 125th Street. Have an early dinner nearby, and if a Sunday gospel service is on the plan, build the morning around it. From Aloft Harlem, most of this is a short walk or a few subway stops.

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
• Bar and lounge
• Snack bar
• Bars
• Bath
• Bathroom
• Breakfast
• Business Center
• Carpeted
• Cleaning
• Coffee
• Concierge
• Desk
• Dry cleaning service
• Entertainment activities
• Express check in
• Fan
• First aid
• Fitness Center
• Free Wi-Fi
• Garage
• Gym
• Hairdryer
• Internet access
• Iron and board
• Karaoke
• Laundry Service
• Elevators
• Luggage storage
• Market
• Non smoking rooms
• Parking
• Pets allowed
• Pool bar
• Radio
• Refrigerator