Richard's Place

About Richard's Place

Richard's Place suits travelers who want a simple base in Harlem and a short subway ride to the rest of Manhattan. The address on West 121 Street puts you in a residential part of the neighborhood, near everyday shops and services rather than the Midtown crowds. Couples traveling light, solo visitors and business travelers on a tight schedule can use it as a place to sleep between days out. Late arrivals should confirm reception arrangements with the property before booking.

Richard's Place is a one-star hotel, so the offer is plain and expectations should match: a bed, air conditioning and a Harlem address at a modest level of service. The booking supplier's guest score is 4.5 out of 5 from 10 reviews, a small sample that suggests guests have been satisfied with what they found. Treat that figure as the supplier's own summary rather than a survey of every stay. Read the current score and recent comments in the IMPT app before you book.

Rooms and listed facilities

Facilities listed for Richard's Place are air conditioning, luggage storage and a non-smoking policy throughout; pets are not allowed. Air conditioning matters in a New York summer, and it is worth confirming that your room has its own unit. Luggage storage helps couples and families arriving before check-in or leaving after checkout, and business travelers with an evening train. The non-smoking rule suits anyone sensitive to smoke. Ask the property directly about room layout, bathroom arrangements, late-arrival check-in and whether a cot can be provided.

Rooms at Richard's Place are sold on a simple basis, which suits travelers who plan to spend the day out and return to sleep. Couples and solo visitors often prefer that, and business travelers on a short trip may find it workable if the address is convenient for their plans. Families should ask the property which rooms fit a group before booking. Confirm the room type, the bed arrangement and the bathroom situation directly with the hotel, and check the total price with taxes and fees in the IMPT app.

The setting

Richard's Place has an address at 164 West 121 Street in Harlem, on a side street north of Central Park's upper edge. The surrounding blocks are largely residential. The nearest stretch of the park is about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away in a straight line, and Fifth Avenue at 59th Street, the park's southern corner, is about 3.1 miles (5 km). Times Square is about 3.8 miles (6.1 km) and Grand Central Terminal about 4.0 miles (6.4 km). Street routes run longer than these straight-line figures.

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. Richard's Place is around 3.8 miles (6.1 km) from Midtown's core, around 4.0 miles (6.4 km) from Grand Central Terminal and around 15 miles (23.4 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 Richard's Place. 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 Richard's Place

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 Richard's Place, 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.

• Air conditioning
• Luggage storage
• Non-Smoking Hotel
• Pets Not Allowed