Guest Author - Yvonne Russell

Choosing a New York hotel can be overwhelming. There are literally thousands of choices. If you're not familiar with New York, it can be harder still. After much research and deliberation we settled on the Red Roof Inn, Manhattan.

Our Criteria
Our criteria included - Is it close to the subway? Is it in a safe area? Is it in an area with restaurants? Is the price right? Is it central to where we want to go? Is it clean? Does it offer car parking? Does it offer breakfast?

The Red Roof Inn, filled all these criteria. Penn Station was about two blocks away. New York is a walking city, so if you are exploring for the first time, you don't need a car. We parked our car in a garage a few doors away for $US20 per day. This was a subsidised rate for hotel guests.

Red Roof Inn Staff
I booked online through the hotel's website, and received a confirmation the next day. I had previously made an enquiry, and this was also responded to promptly. On arrival, the staff were efficient, but not very friendly or welcoming.

Breakfast and Meals
The hotel offered a complimentary continental breakfast, but the breakfast room was always crowded. We ate in one of the many delis on our way to the day's walking destination. The Red Roof Inn, Manhattan, is situated in the Korean restaurant district. We took advantage of the delicious and reasonably priced Korean food for some of our evening meals. Also just a few doors away, are a number of convenience stores with deli sections.

Red Roof Inn Facilities
The King Size room was the same price as the Queen Size, so we opted for this. It was quite spacious and tastefully appointed with antique style accents. There was complimentary in room tea and cofee, as well as free wireless internet access. There is also an onsite fitness center. We had a view of the Empire State Building from our 14th floor room. While facing the road, and next to the lift, we had no problems with noise.

Verdict
If you want an excellent value hotel in a quieter area away from Times Square, but still very central and comfortable, I would recommend the Red Roof Inn, Manhattan. The low season price for our King Size room was approx $US120 per day. I will definitely stay there on my next trip to New York.

Red Roof Inn, Manhattan
6 West 32nd Street. New York, NY 10001