Alexander

About Alexander

Alexander suits travelers who want a simple, well-placed base on the Upper West Side and a short walk to Central Park. Couples who plan their days around the park, museums and the grid of streets north of 59th Street will find the address easy to work with. Business travelers who need a quiet block at the end of the day, and families traveling with a kitchen on their list, fit here too. Expect a plain, practical hotel rather than a full-service one.

Alexander is a 2-star hotel, and the rating sets expectations: a straightforward, practical place to sleep between long days out rather than a full-service address. Air conditioning, free wifi, a concierge and a business center are among the listed facilities. It suits guests who want the Upper West Side at a simple level and who plan to spend their hours in the city.

Rooms and listed facilities

Facilities listed for Alexander include air conditioning, free wifi, a kitchen, a business center, a concierge, lifts and luggage storage. Couples can treat the kitchen as a way to keep breakfast simple. Families may find the kitchen and lifts useful for longer stays. Business travelers have the business center and wifi listed, and late arrivals can ask about luggage storage and concierge cover for their arrival time. Confirm room layout, kitchen equipment and arrival arrangements with the property.

The setting

Alexander sits at 306 West 94th Street on the Upper West Side, a residential street on the west side of Manhattan. Measured in a straight line, Central Park is about 0.9 miles (1.4 km) away, Times Square about 2.5 miles (4.1 km), Grand Central Terminal about 2.9 miles (4.6 km) and Penn Station about 3.2 miles (5.1 km). The 9/11 Memorial is about 6.0 miles (9.7 km) to the south. Subway stops on the nearby avenues connect the address to the rest of the island; check current service with the MTA before you travel.

Location and neighborhood

The Upper West Side's central section runs from 72nd Street to 96th Street, with Central Park on one side and Riverside Park on the other. Families tend to settle here because the streets are wide, the sidewalks are generous and the pace is slower than Midtown. Between the two parks, the blocks are lined with brownstones, schools and apartment buildings, and the avenues carry most of the traffic while the side streets stay calm. Alexander sits within this grid, close to playgrounds, lawns and museum galleries. Evenings are quiet, mornings are busy with the school run, and the whole neighborhood works well with a stroller.

Columbus Avenue is the main errand street, with produce stands, bookshops and small groceries between the cross streets. Amsterdam Avenue runs parallel and is a little plainer, with laundromats, pharmacies and casual places to eat. Broadway cuts diagonally across the grid and carries the subway beneath it. The American Museum of Natural History stands on Central Park West at 79th Street, and its dinosaur and mammal halls are the reason many families choose this part of Manhattan. Weekday mornings bring school groups and dog walkers; weekend afternoons fill the parks and the avenue benches. Side streets here are residential, so noise stays low after dark.

Getting there and around

The subway runs beneath Broadway, and the stations at 72nd Street and 96th Street put the whole island within reach, day and night. Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station are the main rail gateways, and around 2.9 miles (4.6 km) separates the neighborhood from the nearer of the two. From the airports, allow roughly 15 miles (23.7 km) by road, and note that JFK and Newark are typically 45 to 75 minutes from Midtown depending on traffic and connections. The area center lies around 2.5 miles (4.1 km) from Alexander. Buses cross on the avenues, cabs pass along Broadway, and walking is often quickest for short hops. Check current subway service changes before a late trip.

Nearby sights and food

Central Park starts at 59th Street and runs north, so its western edge is a short walk from most of this neighborhood. Lawns, ponds and playgrounds suit children, and the paths stay open year round. Riverside Park follows the Hudson from 72nd Street northward, with river views, open grass and a long paved route for scooters and strollers. The American Museum of Natural History, on Central Park West at 79th Street, holds the dinosaur halls that anchor many family visits. Observation decks downtown look over the whole island; timed entry sells out, so reserve ahead and check opening hours on the day.

Eating out here leans family-friendly. Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues hold casual places serving pasta, pizza, tacos, ramen, burgers and Middle Eastern plates, plus diners that pour coffee all day. Bakeries sell bread and pastries in the morning, delis build sandwiches to carry into the park, and small sushi and Thai kitchens open early for dinner. Tables for four are common, so a family can usually sit without a long wait. Weekend evenings are busiest; reserve ahead or eat on the early side. Check hours before setting out, since some kitchens close early at the start of the week.

A day from Alexander

A day from Alexander begins with an early walk into Central Park, when the playgrounds are quiet and the paths belong to joggers. Spend the morning at the American Museum of Natural History; the dinosaur halls draw crowds, so arrive near opening and check hours before setting out. Lunch is casual on Columbus Avenue. The afternoon suits Riverside Park, where the river path takes scooters and strollers and benches face the water. Toward evening, head south to a Broadway show or an observation deck for sunset; timed tickets help. Return to Alexander along the quieter side streets.

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.

• ATM
• Air conditioning
• Bike rental service
• Business Center
• Concierge
• Free Wi-Fi
• Kitchen
• Elevators
• Luggage storage
• Non smoking rooms
• Pets Not Allowed
• Reception area