Review Conrad New York City
Overview & Pricing
The Conrad New York is a 5 star hotel located in lower Manhattan’s scenic Battery Park City neighborhood. The hotel is located a block from the Hudson River with stunning views from many rooms and sits right in front of a towering shopping mall with chef-driven restaurants, retail stores and an ice skating rink (during the winter months).
Key Stats
- Base Room Prices: Rooms start at $273 plus tax
- Award Costs: 50,000 to 80,000 points per night
- My Stay: 2 nights in a Hudson River View Suite for 80,000 points + anniversary free night from the Citi Hilton Reserve
Location
The once quiet downtown neighborhood is now buzzing with shops, restaurants and an influx of new high-end residential buildings. You won’t feel like you’re in Midtown Manhattan with all the congestion of people and you’ll be walking distance to tourist attractions like the Freedom Tower and Statue of Liberty as well as the neighborhoods of Soho, Tribeca and the Financial District.
The Conrad is located within 30-45 minutes of any of the three major NYC airports and an Uber/Lyft or yellow cab will cost you $40-$60, depending on traffic. To save money, you can also take the bus, train, subway or a combination of those methods to get to/from the hotel but I’d highly recommend you use the MTA Trip Planner to coordinate your trip.
If you’re in town to visit Times Square, museums like MoMa and The Met and Central Park, then you’ll probably need to catch a cab or Uber/Lyft since the hotel is a bit far from Midtown Manhattan and the Upper East and West sides. NYC’s subway system is comprehensive and is a viable alternative to getting around Manhattan from the Conrad. The new Fulton Center subway station in Lower Manhattan now provides seamless access to the A, C, J, Z, R, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 trains which will get you to most of Manhattan. Fulton Center subway station is a 12 minute walk from the Conrad.
For families, the hotel is located directly in front of Rockefeller Park, an awesome NYC park. The park consists of a toddler and big kid playground area, lots of green space for picnicking and a walking/jogging/biking trail that provides a stunning view of Jersey City, Hudson River and on a clear day, the Statue of Liberty.
Located in the same building as the hotel (first floor), there’s a Shake Shack, Pick-A-Bagel and Regal Cinemas which comes in handy on those NYC gloomy days.
If you’ve missing anything during your stay, there’s a good chance the shopping center Brookfield Place right in front of the Conrad has what you need.
Lobby & Check-In
The Conrad’s lobby is sprawling with large art installations, making it a dramatic first impression. I arrived for check-in close to midnight on a Friday night and Atrio, the in-house wine bar & restaurant was buzzing with the after-work crowd.
I was too tired to even peak my head into the bar for a drink so I walked up to the front desk and immediately was greeted by a gentleman. I had my digital key from the Hilton app but I wanted a physical key and to ask about the Diamond breakfast benefit, just to confirm I understood it correctly. No breakfast voucher needed as the front desk agent told me my name would be on a ‘diamond’ list at Atrio in the morning.
Since I had already contacted the hotel in advance, I knew my room type (Hudson River view) and reviewed the hotel floor plan through the Hilton app to see if my 15th floor room was the highest floor. It was. There is no major advantage of being on the highest floor except maybe a slightly better view and just a personal preference. There is also no executive lounge at this Conrad. Considering I was the only person at the front desk, check-in was smooth and quick.
Room Review
The hotel was converted from an Embassy Suites to the Conrad brand in 2011 which means all 463 rooms are spacious and well-appointed. With the smallest rooms starting at 430 square feet in size, the standard room sizes are considered large for New York standards.
Rooms have a two-bedroom layout divided by a sliding door, featuring a separate sleeping area from the the living room. Living room areas have a sofa, work desk and touch screen for guests to control their amenities, as well as in-room Nespresso machines and a minibar. If you want a view, ask at check-in for a view facing the Hudson.
The bathroom and shower area are split into two separate sections. Deluxe and Superior Suites do not have bathtubs, only showers with rain heads. Bath amenities include Aromatherapy Associates shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Conrad robes and slippers are provided for your use.
Food & Drink
As a Hilton Diamond, I was explained at check-in that I would receive a complimentary breakfast buffet for each day. If I wanted something besides the buffet, I’d be issued a $20 credit to use towards any of the A La Carte items on the menu.
On my first morning, I visited Atrio, the hotel’s lone restaurant to have breakfast. I gave the hostess my name and she escorted me to my table. Since I opted for the buffet, I got up immediately and went to scour my breakfast options.
I wanted to eat fast since I had a golf tee time with friends to play outside of the city so I didn’t take any pictures of the food. However, I’d say the standard breakfast spread is substantial in options unless you want a specialized egg dish or omelet. There were scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, bagels, fruits and assorted pastries that were included in the buffet option and more than adequately had me content. The following morning I was in a bit of a time crunch to get stuff done before my flight so I just picked up a bagel at ‘Pick-A-Bagel’, a bagel shop on the first floor of the hotel complex and went on my way.
Facilities
The Conrad does not have a pool or a spa which is a bit of a letdown but it does have a gym, business center and barber shop.
Among the other things on-site is a barber shop……
and a business center…..
Conclusion
Whether you’re travelling for business or leisure, Conrad New York combines a great location to many NYC attractions (Statue of Liberty, World Trade Center, NYSE) and exciting neighborhoods like Tribeca and SoHo. With shopping, restaurants and city parks within a 5 minute walk, it’s easy to explore lower Manhattan from the hotel. For families, I loved the Battery Park City neighborhood for it’s kid-friendly Rockefeller Park and sightings of lots of young families.
While I may prefer a more Midtown location for NYC attractions, if I was a first-time NYC visitor, the Conrad New York location was perfect for a quiet refuge in the city, located on a cornered part of Manhattan that isn’t congested with taxis and I LOVE NY t-shirt stands. At rates of $400/night during my stay, I was happy redeeming 80,000 Hilton points and a ‘free’ night anniversary certificate from the Citi Hilton Reserve for my two-night stay.
Have you stayed at the Conrad New York lately? What’s your impression?
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[…] Hotel Review: Conrad New York City […]
My wife stayed there and loved the hotel but wasn’t a fan of the area since it was more “dead”. Used the bogo visa signature offer for it so it was nice to check out for half off at least!
Great deal for your wife. With small kids, I actually liked the area as it’s grown tremendously from the time I worked down in the financial district. Certainly not in the heart of NYC but that’s a good thing, depending on your trip plans.