Hotel Beacon

About Hotel Beacon

Hotel Beacon suits travelers who want a residential part of Manhattan without losing quick access to Midtown. The building sits on Broadway at West 75th Street, on the Upper West Side, beside the shops and food stores that line the avenue. Couples, families and longer-stay visitors settle here because the neighborhood is quieter at night than the Theater District, and Central Park is a short walk east. Business travelers use it as a calmer base than the office districts downtown.

That score describes a steady, well-run address rather than a showy one, and the star rating places it in the upper tier of Manhattan hotels. Rooms are the core of the offer, with a Broadway address that keeps Midtown within easy reach. Rates and availability change by date, so compare the total price with taxes and fees when you book.

Rooms and listed facilities

Facilities listed for Hotel Beacon cover the practical side of a city stay. Air conditioning, free wifi and a safe appear on the list, along with a fitness center and gymnasium for a workout before a day of walking. Families can ask about family rooms and cots. The 24 hour front desk and 24 hour security help guests arriving late. A kitchen and kitchenette are listed too, useful on longer visits. Confirm room type, kitchen equipment and any parking arrangement with the property before you arrive.

Breakfast and a restaurant appear among the listed facilities, which matters on mornings when you want to eat before heading out. A business center and free newspaper serve guests who keep office hours, and laundry service and luggage storage help on either side of a trip. Couples can treat the hotel as a quiet base after a show. Ask the property which room categories include the kitchen or kitchenette.

The setting

Hotel Beacon stands on Broadway at West 75th Street, on the Upper West Side, in the part of the neighborhood that runs close to Central Park. The park edge at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street is about 1.2 miles (2 km) away in a straight line, and the lawns nearest the hotel are closer still. Times Square is about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) in a straight line, Grand Central Terminal about 1.9 miles (3.1 km) and Penn Station about 2.2 miles (3.5 km). Subway stations sit along and near Broadway here.

This stretch of Broadway is a working avenue rather than a tourist strip, with food stores, pharmacies and everyday shops at street level and quieter side streets behind. The American Museum of Natural History is on Central Park West at 79th Street, a few blocks north. The 9/11 Memorial is about 5.1 miles (8.2 km) away in a straight line, downtown. Evenings are calm by Midtown standards, and the Theater District is a short ride south.

Location and neighborhood

The Upper West Side's central stretch runs from 72nd Street to 96th Street, between Central Park and Riverside Park. This is the neighborhood's brownstone heart: quiet side streets lined with row houses, and two broad avenues, Columbus and Amsterdam, running north through the middle. Broadway cuts across at an angle, carrying the subway and most of the cross-town bus traffic. Most of the grid here follows the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, so numbered streets run east to west and avenues run north to south, which makes orientation simple. Fifth Avenue divides East from West street numbers, but on this side of the park the addresses are all West.

The area has a steady, residential rhythm, and from Hotel Beacon most of it is reachable on foot. Weekday mornings bring dog walkers and school runs; weekends fill the sidewalks near the parks. Central Park's western boundary runs along Central Park West, a block east of Columbus Avenue, and Riverside Park follows the Hudson River to the west. Culture is close: the American Museum of Natural History sits on Central Park West at 79th Street, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts stands near Lincoln Square. Autumn color in Central Park usually peaks in early to mid November. Summer is hot and humid, so plan sightseeing for mornings.

Getting there and around

The nearest subway stations sit along Broadway, and several bus routes cross the neighborhood east to west. Pay by tapping a contactless card or phone at the turnstile; the subway runs around the clock, and the MetroCard is being phased out. Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station are the main rail gateways, both reachable by subway or taxi, around 1.9 miles (3.1 km). From Midtown Manhattan the area center is around 1.6 miles (2.6 km). JFK and Newark Liberty are around 14 miles (23.1 km) away, typically 45 to 75 minutes by road depending on traffic and connections. LaGuardia is closest by road, and a free shuttle bus links it to the subway.

Nearby sights and food

Sightseeing starts at the American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West at 79th Street, with Central Park directly behind it. The park's 843 acres run from 59th to 110th Streets, free to enter, and the Ramble, the lakes and the Great Lawn sit within walking distance of the area. Museum Mile begins at Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street, where the Metropolitan Museum of Art stands; the Museum of Modern Art is further south in Midtown. Broadway theaters cluster around Times Square in the Theater District. The Intrepid Museum occupies a pier on the Hudson. Check opening days and whether timed entry is needed before you go.

Food in the area leans residential. Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue carry most of it: casual neighborhood restaurants, pizza counters, bagel shops, diners, delis, Thai and Japanese kitchens, Italian trattorias, and a steady supply of coffee shops. Broadway adds more of the same plus grocery stores and markets for picnic supplies. Expect a line at weekend brunch and quieter tables on weekday afternoons. Reservations help at dinner, especially Thursday to Saturday. For a quick lunch near the park, counter-service places along Columbus Avenue are the practical choice. Menus and opening days change, so check before setting out.

A day from Hotel Beacon

A day from Hotel Beacon can start early, before the museum crowds: enter Central Park at 79th Street and walk the loop paths toward the Great Lawn, then cross to the American Museum of Natural History for the morning. Break for lunch along Columbus or Amsterdam Avenue. In the afternoon, walk south through the park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue, or take the subway to Midtown for the Museum of Modern Art. Return to Hotel Beacon to change, then head to the Theater District for an evening curtain, typically 7 or 8 pm; check the show. Confirm opening days and timed entry before setting 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
• Air conditioning
• Alarm clock
• Banquet
• Bars
• Bath
• Bathroom
• Breakfast
• Business Center
• Carpeted
• Cleaning
• Coffee
• Concierge
• Crib
• Desk
• Dry cleaning service
• Express check in
• Family rooms
• First aid
• Fitness Center
• Free Wi-Fi
• Free newspaper
• Garage
• Gym
• Hairdryer
• Housekeeping
• Internet access
• iPod dock
• Iron and board
• Kitchen
• Kitchenette
• Laundry Service
• Elevators
• Luggage storage
• Microwave
• Non smoking rooms
• Parking
• Public transport
• Radio