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Affinia Manhattan
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
371 7th AveNew York, NY 10001
Neighborhood: Midtown West
(212) 563-1800
- Nearest Transit:
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34 St - Penn Station (1, 2, 3)
28 St (1, 2)
34 St - Herald Sq (B, D, F, M, N, Q, R)
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
83 reviews for Affinia Manhattan
Review Highlights
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"...distance, and the Madison Square Garden was right outside..." In 14 reviews -
"The convenience of the suite for the price can't be beat." In 3 reviews -
"We would definitely consider staying here again." In 4 reviews
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83 reviews in English
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Review from Alexandra P.
Manhattan, NY
5/13/2012
I live in NYC and thus I don't spend much time in NYC hotels, but I live way uptown - nearly in the Bronx - so when a work project left me with a string of short-turnaround nights, I insisted that the company get me a hotel room in midtown. I expected something more along the lines of the Hotel Pennsylvania a few blocks away (which I have stayed at without incident - but it requires an appreciation for the rundown, to say the least) so I was pretty stunned by how beautiful and clean my room was!
I had a 1-Bedroom, and it was lovely. Clean, modern lines (not actually my personal style but I appreciate it in short-term doses) and calming, neutral-but-not-boring colors. Comfy couch with both a coffee table and a side table, for lounging; sitting chair; a nice big desk for getting some work done. It sounds stupid but the throw pillows on the couch were both beautiful and really comfy. I felt right at home curling up on them with a glass of wine and some paperwork.
There was a cute and actually pragmatic/functional little kitchen with all that I needed. Wine glasses, white Corelle dishes, silverware; fridge; beautiful and deep sink. One of those plastic hotel coffee-makers, which get exponentially better when you put real milk in rather than the hotel-provided creamer (yay for having a fridge!). Props for the real mugs they provided, instead of crappy paper cups. There is nothing like having an actual mug of coffee with an actual spoon to stir it, to ground you in the morning. And there was even a little tub of dish soap and a wash-rag near the sink. I thought that was really just so pleasant - the worst part about living in a hotel is the expense of eating out all the time. When you are on vacation it can be fun to spend that kind of money on meals, but sometimes there is really no beating a bowl of cereal on the couch!
The bathroom was pretty and the water pressure was heavenly. Philosophy toiletries were very much appreciated. The bedroom was as beautiful as the living room, and amazingly comfortable, with multiple types of pillows to choose from. All throughout all rooms, there were flattering and functional lighting options for a variety of needs. Overhead lighting, table lighting, task lighting. Even a bed-reading light with a switch on the headboard.
The staff was very helpful and friendly at all points, from check-in to check-out. When housekeeping arrived just before I was ready to leave for the day, and I asked them to come back in a few minutes, I was cheerfully wished well and even wished a Happy Mother's Day, which I thought was very sweet.
One thing I will note for out-of-towners is that 7th Ave stays noisy almost all night long. I am a native NYer and was on the 12th floor, and even so I was still kept up a bit by all the cabs laying on their horns into the wee hours of the morning. It didn't really bother me but I could see it bothering some people. If you are a light sleeper you might want to ask about quiet parts of the building.
I had initially been annoyed at having to live "away from home" in my home city, but I really enjoyed my brief stay at Affinia. I felt both like I was on vacation and like I was right at home, honestly. It was the best of both worlds. -
Review from Miguel R.
3/31/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I am neither for nor against this hotel. To me it was just there.
My air conditioning in the room didn't work. I put the little slide all the way to 50 degree's, and normally you hear it click on..... nothing. "Okay, well maybe it takes a while - so i'm going to go to my meetings and it will be freezing cold when i get back"
Nay.
Zip. Zero. babaganush ...... (you thought I was going to put Nada.... tricked ya)
So I switched rooms because that was their solution, and two doors down, closer to 7th street, I realized that it's just the hotel in general. The AC does not work.
The unit that cools the room is enclosed in a plastic cover, and can't let any air in?!? Strange.
Now secondly: Maybe it was just me, and not being use to the "Big city" but I couldn't sleep because of how poor lack of soundproofing was. I was on the 7 floor - and could still hear people TALKING on the street. Let a lone the countless cab horns, sirens, drunks, spinning tires, wam-bulences, etc. etc.
But that's New York i suppose.
I would have to agree with Finicky, the internet connection is no bueno. It was just stupid slow - and I kept having issues.
So enough bashing... what's good?
The rooms were cool - it had a small little kitchen, a nice bed, and of course a flat screen tv. Now remember you're in New York, and they squeeze in as much as possible in as small a space as possible. BUT my room / suite was much larger than some of my friends apartments.... however, the bathroom was a bit to small for my taste... since I"m a big fatty.
Food? Yes. Expensive. Very very expensive. Flavorful..... eh. It was okay.
I went to the bar that was connected to the lobby, and wasn't impressed. The crowd was what you would expect, but I just got annoyed for some reason the two times I went... just a bad vibe. -
Review from Julie O.
3/21/2012
Love Affinia Manhattan.
I was surprised at the roominess of my room. Sitting area, two closets, office space, large bed, flat screen, mini living room. And it was immaculate and modern, with more than enough lighting and outlets.
Amennities - Philosophy products in my room - yea! Love that! The gym was adequate and clean.
Wi-fi easy to set up, prices clearly explained.
The staff was pleasant, professional and helpful.
Great experience, great stay.Listed in: The Big Apple
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Review from Kaling S.
Stafford, VA
5/24/2012
Yes, the rooms were small and the noise from the street was loud. But since I'd researched this hotel prior to my trip, none of this surprised me.
The room was clean. The staff was friendly. The elevators were relatively quick. It was in an excellent location for all the touristy crap we also insist on doing.
The bed was extremely comfortable and felt like a cloud as I laid in it for almost an entire Saturday after the TGI Friday's in Time Square left me with food poisoning. -
Review from Kelly M.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I got an awesome price from priceline and was amazed when I saw rhe quality and location of the Affinia. Close to Penn Station and many bus stops. This place is ideal for a traveler on the go.
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Review from Tracy T.
Los Angeles, CA
4/8/2012
I stayed here about a month ago, and loved it. The room was very spacious, the staff was incredibly friendly, and it is in a fabulous location (right across the street from Penn and MSG).
I would definitely stay here again! -
Review from Nikos M.
New York, NY
1/22/2012 5 photos
I booked this room via Hotel Tonight, an app that features a few different hotels per day at a discounted rate. All that's promised is that the room will accommodate two people. Upon arrival, the concierge upgraded me to a one bedroom suite at no cost. I'm not quite sure why, but I gladly accepted.
I stayed in room 2731, pictured below, and it was wonderful. The room was very clean and included a full kitchen (including cookware), living area with a couch, desk and TV, bedroom with a King sized bed and TV and bathroom. The view was decent, but surrounding tall buildings blocked most visibility. The room had its own thermostat and stayed warm, even on one of the coldest days of the year. AC units were installed (covered for winter) in the living area and bedroom windows.
The service was excellent. I was greeted every time I walked through the lobby and there was always somebody available to gladly answer any questions I had. I was accidentally charged twice for the room, and it was taken care of immediately. This hotel is nicely located in the heart of Midtown, just minutes away from Times Square.
I'd definitely recommend this hotel to anybody looking to stay in midtown Manhattan. It was just remodeled and looks great. The complimentary room upgrade was nice, however, I don't believe my opinion on this hotel would have changed had I stayed in a smaller room. -
Review from Jeremie T.
Melville, NY
2/13/2012 1 photo
I made a last min rsvp here . This seemed to be the on hotel in the city at a reasonable price with modern decor. My fiancé and I stayed in the Deluxe suite they offered and upgrade to the studio suite,but the room had to full beds. : ( so we stayed with the deluxe. Perfect amount of space. The room felt clean. The bathroom could have been cleaned a little better. My only issue they didn't have an ice machine reaily available for guest to get ice. The ice had to be ordered through room service which took an hour. First phone call they said someone would be right up. 30 min later I called they said someone would be up in 10 min. 20 min later my ice has arrived. No biggie we already started drinking our champagne so we were ok.
Overall a good experience I would def recommend staying and I would stay again. -
Review from Denis O.
Great Falls, VA
1/27/2012
I have to give them two stars for a great location and a pleasant staff.
But, this hotel manages to screw it all up. If my key card was broken and I was staying at, say, a Motel 6, they at least would send someone to fix it so I didn't have to stand in the hall at the end of a long day and wait for security to let me into my own room. But I did, three times.
Then there are the charges for everything but breathing. $14 a day for internet? I can live with that, but on a per device basis?
Finally, most hotels in NYC have doorman around to help find a cab. The Affinia Manhattan's offering here? The doorman chatted with girls as I had to contend with random limo drivers pitching me their services, and a homeless guy trying to get my cab for me when I would have preferred to get my own.
Not a racket, but very poorly managed. -
Review from Dan M.
Old Bethpage, NY
3/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Can't beat the location if you are coming in to Penn Station. Large rooms and suites, clean, staff friendly and priced reasonably.
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Review from Julie L.
8/29/2011
My room was clean, simple and NOISY. :P
I had a corner room on the 12th floor and it was a bit small but still aqeduate for two people. There was a bed, desk, relatively large flat screen tv and a decent size bathroom.
The neat stuff:
Location was awesome. Easily accessible at Penn Station and close enough to attractions like Times Square, Empire State. etc. Good neighborhood.
Bed was super duper comfy!!
TV was large
Clean
The "Ehh..."
Really NOISY. The windows are just too thin and if you have a room facing the street, you'll wake up to the lovely sounds of disgruntled cab drivers honking and fire trucks going to save the day.
Shower in the bathroom was really small and the sink had no counter space to put all your toiletries.
The air conditioning system in these rooms are the old skool' window units. They keep the room cool, but is a bit loud and adds to the noisiness of the room.
All in all, a decent place to stay. I can't comment on the price, since my company paid for it, but I heard the rates are over $200/night for a standard room in August.
There are a wide range of rooms in the Affinia. My coworker was lucky enough to stay in a room on the 24th with her own private balcony. So it maybe the luck of the draw.
I wish the cute gorilla toy that they place on every bed was free. It would have been a nice souvenir. =)Listed in: I Heart NYC!
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Review from sara t.
Springfield, NJ
1/23/2012
We stayed at the sister hotel Affinia Shelburne last year and because of the great experience I wanted to try another hotel in this family. We got a good rate via a 3 day promotion they had and were upgraded to a suite at the hotel. The rooms were recently renovated and it was nice, however the shower was quite small; they should put covers on the a/c in the winter to stop cold air from flowing in and probably save on heating costs and they definitely should have put more sound proof windows on the rooms. We were on the 19th floor, facing the back, however I can imagine it would have been much louder had we been lower. However, I will definitely stay with this family again and look forward to trying different locations. For NYC, the room was roomy, fantastically located and the staff was great. One final thing, bring drinks to your room as the floors do NOT offer soda machines.
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Review from Jim S.
San Francisco, CA
10/25/2011
When you show up to check into a hotel for a convention, you don't want to hear that you'll be charged for wi-fi, even though the registration form clearly says convention attendees receive free wi-fi. Especially after you show the front desk person the web page that shows this.
Then they put you in the wrong room (how can a single guy use two double beds, one of which makes the desk area that he needs to work much smaller?), and the same front desk person acts like you're the jerk for requesting a reduction in price for the screw-up since there aren't any other rooms available. In a hotel that serves both the convention and tourist crowd (read: families with children that two double beds would be great for), you really have to wonder about their efficiency aptitude.
THEN you add in the Gestapo show-me-your-card tactics by the elevators, and I'm sure to never stay at a hotel again.
The doormen are awesome, though. -
Review from Jill G.
1/6/2012 6 Check-ins Here
Affinia Manhattan did A-OK by us. The location is perfect for tourists: close to Times Sq (about 1 block from Madison Sq Garden), but not right in the middle of that mad rush of people. The interior is quite nice as well. You walk into a large, 2-story open area, with the concierge in the middle and check-in to the right. The 2 double bed rooms (which can be quite difficult to find for a good rate in NYC) are perfect for 2 people, but I wouldn't try to fit any more. They've been recently renovated, and I'd say it's a modern, organic style, and they've got a few cool innovations for saving space. It's nice, calming. There was a flat screen TV, closet, & fridge in our room.
My complaints would be the pillow situation, the AC, and the noise. When you arrive, you're greeted with a note on your bed describing the different pillows you can choose from and order up (for free) from room service. Nice little touch, right? Had the pillows been available, or the quality which you would expect, this would have been really cool. However, some night they were out of all the styles; and then when we did try them, they were disappointing. The AC is a window unit that didn't work very well. We visited right after Thanksgiving, so the fact that we had to use the AC was weird to begin with; I would not want to stay here in the summer. Thankfully, the AC was a little noisy, so it blocked out some of the street noise. Despite being on the 9th floor, we could hear the street like it was right outside of our window, likely due to the window being open to accommodate the AC unit.
All in all, though, I would stay here again (during the fall or winter). -
Review from Jarell P.
Los Angeles, CA
9/5/2011 3 photos
I had a great experience with Affinia Manhattan.
I landed early morning off a red-eye from L.A. and needed a place for my luggage to crash while I met up with friends and explored the city. When I showed up at 10:30 to check-in, the front desk kindly called the bellman to store my bags and let me know there was a hospitality suite for me to hang in until my room was ready.
I was really happy that they allowed me complimentary access to wi-fi on the first floor so I could get some work done remotely too (I was on one of those vacations where you're never completely on vacation).
Staff was really accommodating and pleasant throughout the stay.
The room was pretty huge by NY standards - perfect for a Cali native like me who needs his space. 15th floor brick-wall views - not complaining. Updated furnishings and a buckwheat pillow by my request. All the personal touches, however cheesy (stuffed baby gorilla on the bed to welcome me), do add up.
I had originally booked only one Thursday night via TravelZoo for $199 (steal for August in NYC). Was going to move out to crash at a friend's for the rest of the weekend but I was enjoying the luxury accommodations so much that I decided to book a second night. And they gave me the room for the same low rate on a Friday! #score
Next time i'm in town I'll definitely consider staying here again. The MSG-Penn Station location is pretty clutch, central to anything you'd want to get into. -
Review from Brett H.
Islamorada, FL
4/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Location was great, staff was friendly and helpful. Our room [booked on Priceline] was a deal, but clearly a handicapped room located directly over a fire station! With the deal we received, we couldn't complain - and we listened to someone try to no avail at the front desk - but just be informed that rooms set aside for travel sites may not be as nice as those booked through the hotel itself.
Penn Station is right across the street as well as plenty of shopping and dining within easy walking distance.
We would definitely consider staying here again. -
Review from Megs B.
Manhattan, NY
5/11/2011
First, something nice to say: The concierge was incredible. She was so nice and helpful!
Now for the bad:
BEWARE! If you are Pricelining for a cheap hotel near Penn Station/Madison Square Garden you may get the crappiest room/s in this hotel. Sure, they'll take your money and you may think you are getting a deal...that is until you are woken up by firetrucks, construction and/or the housekeeping staff using the service elevators early in the morning. We stayed in a room ending in '17' and it was hot & tiny & NOISY! Also it's wedged in-between the service elevator and the block of guest elevators. Ear plugs did not help. The carpet was skeezy and the bathroom needed to be redone. I would not stay here again and would NOT recommend anyone else stay here. Yuck-o.
---On a positive note, I didn't see any bed bugs.
-----On a cautious note, my luggage is still in the garage waiting to be steam cleaned because you never can tell. -
Review from Jon W.
11/16/2011
I booked the hotel through Priceline and got a great rate. The location is excellent, and the room was nice and clean but a tad on the small side. No complaints, the bed was way comfy and I was not at the hotel too long and was off exploring most of the day and night.
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Review from Brian P.
Delmar, NY
12/9/2011 1 photo
I've been living at this place for at least a couple nights a week since August... and I have many months ahead of me. So, I felt compelled to finally give my home-away-from-home a quick review.
This place really isn't that bad - as long as you're not paying full price. The rooms have all been renovated recently, so it's pretty modern feeling. The thing is, there clearly wasn't any quality control over the renovations. Some rooms are beautifully done while others look like it was an elementary school art project.
There are the usual NYC quirks - some rooms have a shower so small that there should be a size/weight limit (I'd suggest 200 lbs max), while other rooms have a huge tub/shower combo. Some rooms have beautiful, big windows - others look at an industrial air conditioner and are dark. Some rooms are huge (suites with kitchenettes), others are a Manhattan shoebox.
Okay, with all that a summary of the pros and cons from the top of my head...
Pros...
- Close to MSG/Penn/Macy's (if you like that - otherwise it's a con)
- Freshly renovated and pretty modern/cool feeling
- Consistently very clean - EXCEPT THE AC UNITS (see below)
- Free gym with a decent selection of equipment
- Great views from the upper floors (I've been enjoying watching 1 WTC rise)
- Comfy beds with nice linens
- Pretty quiet
- Mini fridge in every room
- Little gorilla in every room to great you
Cons...
- NASTY, moldy, dirty, noisy, smelly window AC units in some rooms (room 303 was by far the worst I've experienced so far). Seeing as how it's perpetually hot in NYC - even in December - this is an important point to consider. But then some other rooms have brand new units. So it's a craps shoot.
- Goofy configuration in some of the rooms (lack of windows, odd sitting area way off to the side, really small bathrooms in some rooms)
- Expensive wi-fi
- Overly perfumed shampoo and conditioner (the conditioner smells like some disgusting overly sweetened bubble gum - why would you put that in your hair?)
If you can get a room on the 20th-ish floor or above you'll probably be in good shape. Avoid the third floor like the plague.
Oh, and enjoy NYC. The pain-in-the-ass that it is. -
Review from Nicolas S.
San Jose, CA
11/2/2011
to be fair, I must say I stayed at the Affinia after booking the room over priceline.
location: 10 (as good as it gets)
now the juicy part: the are making a mistake by taking guests in a room where noice and wind are part of the combo. The room is pretty good and spacious with a desk and 2 sofas. Bathroom pretty good as well. Big TV confy bed.
Still: its unacceptable that the room has no isolation from the outside. (I stayed at room 306). Unlucky me, I was there the exact day that a big snow + wind storm hit NYC. THere was no way I could stop the wind to cool the entire room and the window that allow this wind is right beside the bed. To make things worst, there is a huge aire compressor right outside the window, so every 5 minutes the noise came in.
The manager from this hotel should either stop renting this room, even if they are auctioning for $100 on priceline. They are affecting the entire hotels reputation, which would have been good if it wasnt for what I described above. -
Review from Mike j.
Los Angeles, CA
2/28/2012
My partner and I statyed here for a week in February 2012. The location was fine and there was both a lot of good and bad all wrapped up in a single room. The good first: the room we had was huge by NYC standards. It was a small one bedroom that must have had 500 sf of space, larger than many studio apartment residences in the city. The room had a small kitchen that made storing food items easy.
The newer design elements were mostly nice, including decent contemporary furnishings and finishes. However, the big downside to the rooms is that when the new furnishings came in, very little effort was made to truly rehab a lot of the old fixtures and finishes. For instance, the bathroom is original and in poor shape, except for the new vanity and mirror, both of which are fine. However, the shower/tub is a mess. The old dated tile still is there and where the original tile ended, the hotel simply added more slightly mismatched tile to extend it to the ceiling. Considering the original tile ended with a bullnose finish, it looks bizarre to then have another foot of tile above the end of the original tile. It is clear this was just slapped on as an effort to spend as little money as possible. In fact, four of the tiles were a different color white than the others. It appeared as though they ran out of tile and just went to to local home depot and picked up a few different tiles to finish off the tub enclosure. Similarly, the hotel put up a glass panel on the tub. This typically looks very sleek and contemporary. Not here. The glass panel is too small to hold in the water so in addition to the panel, the hotel has added a shower curtain. The glass is supposed to take the place of the curtain, not be used in addition to the curtain. It just looks like a mess.
In the same way, all the paint on the doors and windows is in horrible condition, having clearly been painted over and over again through the years without any effort to sand out the bumps, chips, cracks, and stains. Caulking is thick and sloppy. The furniture in the lobby is worn within an inch of its life.
We had a problem turning off the heat but the front desk quickly sent a service person to handle that. The same is true for the slow internet that occasionally lost connection.
Considering the magnificent size of the rooms and the decent location, it's a shame that the hotel did not do a more thorough renovation. It would not have taken exponentially more work to have made the hotel terrific. Sadly, it falls short of that mark in its current state. -
Review from Chad E.
8/2/2010
Written a while back, so some information may be a bit dated...
While I was in New York for a brief conference, I decided to actually stay at the hotel where most of the events were being held. This was a change for me. Usually I'll stay elsewhere and just make my way to the hotel. I don't have a problem with the subway, and in fact typically enjoy it, but since the rate at the Affinia was one of the better ones, I decided that it would be easier to just stay there.
In general, I'm glad that I did. But you need to take it with a grain of salt, and be ready for what you'll get when you check in. Make sure that you realize that this is an older property, and you'll probably be okay with what you get when you arrive in your room.
Notably, the rooms are reasonably well upholstered, but they are on the small side, and the plaster is aging, so you will see some cracks, and some of them might be on the large side. You aren't going to see central air, and in fact you won't see a thermostat of any kind.
Instead, you get what is essentially a steam-controlled radiator to handle the heat that is expelled into the room. You'll also have a window unit (air conditioner) for cooling the room, but in the winter, these units are taped shut to keep cold air from coming into the room - so hope that you don't hit a hot spell or you'll have to open the window to cool things down.
Finally, you may want to make sure that you don't get a "17" room (517, 917, etc). This is because the main steam pipe runs through the closet, and it makes the room absolutely bake. Even opening the outside window, with outside temperatures in the 30s, kept the room a nice 65 degrees, so it was bearable - but it meant that the outside noise increased quite a bit. And even when closed, those windows don't block a lot of noise.Listed in: 2010-08, Visiting New York NY
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Review from Melissa N.
Houston, TX
8/11/2010
My stay at your hotel during the days of 3/18/2009 - 3/22/2009 was ecstasy-inducing, to say the very least. So much so that as I sit here at the airport 24 hours into my standby status, I feel the insatiable burning desire to write this superlative and emoticon-laden review. :) =D ^_^ ;) (i use big words to compensate for the fact that i use emoticons)
The service provided by your staff was not only courteous and on-point, but personable. I'd like to specifically thank the front desk attendants, Michelle and Nathalie, as well as the information desk informant, Maureen.
Maureen's suggestions for dinner, travel, and sights to see were so thoroughly enjoyed by myself and my friends that I would give her my first-born in hopes that it is returned as knowledgeable, helpful, and just simply pleasant as Miss. Maureen.
The room was surprisingly spacious, enough to comfortably accommodate 7+ each night of our 5 day stay.....My only complaint is that the bathroom is airplane-ishly small. But, the fully functional and stocked kitchen and Maureen make up for having your elbows and heels graze the front wall while you drop off the previous night's debauchery. Thus, disregard my complaint and take it as a hiccup in your grand utopia of a hotel.
At the promotional rate of $179 a night, I would gladly return again and again.
As I sit here at the airport bar, 5 $15 beers in, I raise my glass to you, Affinia Manhattan, and I can only hope to one day conceive my first child between the Egyptian-cotton sheets of your gloriously decadent queen-sized beds. Cheers. -
Review from Melissa P.
New York, NY
9/28/2007
I've stayed at this hotel a few times for business before I moved to NYC - its a really great deal, as the rooms seem to almost always be underpriced compared to surrounding hotels. Rooms are very large, and suite style with a kitchenette and table. Some of the rooms are slightly dated, but overall they are of good quality. As others have mentioned, the pillow menu is fantastic - I couldn't decide which one to choose and they just sent up all four!
Definitely tap the concierge center in the middle of the lobby - they are knowledgeable and really friendly. They also offer free themed "experience kits", for example the shopping kit has maps of notable stores, coupon books, insider designer sales tips, etc. They have a whole kit for kids in NYC too, which is great. You can't beat this place for its location and convenience to Madison Square Garden and Penn Station - and for such big rooms at an inexpensive price.
FYI: ask for a room on the back side of the building, facing the interior (aka not facing towards 7th ave) for a quieter stay! -
Review from Matt M.
West Richland, WA
10/21/2007
I stayed here in mid-October, 2007, for three nights. I was in town on business.
Things I liked about the Affinia
- great central location
- very friendly staff
- beautiful lobby
- little kitchenette in my room, so I could bring back extra NYC pizza and microwave it later
- really large room, maybe the biggest hotel room I've ever stayed in (see below, however)
- very reasonable room service food prices
Things I didn't like about the Affinia
- smallest bathroom I've ever seen; I'm guessing they crammed a sink, toilet, and walk-in shower into a space about 8 feet long by 4 feet wide
- it's an old, old building (1927) and the rooms reflect that; it really needs to be modernized
- it's right near a fire house, so you have noise issues
I would consider staying here again, but it wouldn't be my first choice in the area. -
Review from Syretta H.
Waukegan, IL
6/30/2007
OK so this hotel would not have been my first choice of hotels to stay at on this trip. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice hotel, spacious rooms, nice staff, and all that good stuff....BUT it's right in the middle of what has to be one of the busiest parts of Midtown...and it's right around the corner from a fire station....and every morning and night, I was reminded of that!
The shower stall was so small I could barely turn around in it- and I'm only 4'11!!! The bathrooms could have been a bit bigger, a tub would have been nice too.
Everything else was great! The staff was super friendly, the room was clean, even had a little kitchenette with a stove, refrigerator/freezer and a sink to wash dishes.
If you like being in the middle of the hustle and bustle, stay here...there's never a dull moment. My company put me here for the convenience of being right across the street from the office, and I appreciate that. But for someone who has never visited NY before and is not used to the utter chaos that IS this place, I wouldn't recommend it... -
Review from Rosie S.
8/9/2009
Stayed here on a 4-night business trip last fall on the recommendation of a colleague - SO GLAD I DID!
What a treat to stay at such a gorgeous, classy place by myself! I felt soooo special in this lobby! It looks kind of like the Waldorf Astoria - same sort of feel. I have to say that my favourite thing about this hotel seems to be the same thing others are displeased with... I LOVE the fact that this hotel has an old feel - it's vintage, retro, classic 1929 New York Style. I especially loved the elevators! Old NY at its best!
At 31st & 7th (on the east side of 7th), it's right across from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden and just down the street from Macy's & the Empire State Building. The proximity to Broadway was another reason I booked it, and you will find it's even closer than you thought!
I was in a one-bedroom suite on the 7th floor and it was simply divine. I had a living room, full kitchen, bathroom and separate bedroom with king bed. Did I mention it was absolutely DIVINE? The bedding was spectacular, the bed itself incredibly comfortable, and get this: you have six pillow choices:
1. Feather & Down Blend Pillow (the default option)
2. Sound Pillow (you plug your ipod/mp3 player into it)
3. Hypoallergenic Pillow
4. Magnetic Therapy Pillow (?)
5. Buckwheat Pillow
6. Swedish Memory Pillow
You can even choose before you arrive and have it waiting in the room. I chose the hypoallergenic pillow. AWESOME.
Bathroom freebies? ALL AVEDA! Thank you, ye Hotel Gods. Refilled every day, if you want. Loveliness in bottles.
The Affinia Manhattan has their own flavour of Snapple... which is offered free upon arrival - I think it was called "Big Apple Snapple". I enjoyed a glass each of my subsequent trips through the lobby!
Their concierges are FABULOUS. The doormen are lovely. The housekeeping is meticulous, and they leave an Affinia King Kong stuffie on your pillow! The entire staff is worth the visit in itself.
Niles NYC is the restaurant/bar/lounge on the ground floor, and I entertained here two of the four nights. I'll post this stuff in a separate Niles review as well...
Let's talk Manhattan Martinis. Have you found any GREAT LOCATIONS with a FABULOUS ATMOSPHERE and GORGEOUS FOOD offering MARTINIS for UNDER $10??? Well here, they are nearly all under $10 somehow. And let me tell you, they make a KILLER Cosmo. I also sampled a lovely bellini with champagne, peach schnapps and blood orange puree that was like no other drink I have had since. INCLUDING fabulous Bellinis all over Italy and France.
Tried the bar snack pizzas - both were yummy! Ther Margherita with just tomatoes & basil was simple but perfectly prepared & presented. Even better was the Rustic Pizza: "artichokes, roasted tomatoes, kalamata olives and caramelized onions on rustic crust" - it was crispy, flavourful, perfect late-night snack!
Went for lunch only once, but I tried: the Mesclun Salad:
"grape tomatoes, edamame, cucumbers, pepitas and crispy
onions with lemon herb vinaigrette" and the lobster bisque. Again, not disappointed!
The ONLY thing I can be negative about is that you have to pay for wireless access in your room. It's expensive, too! Not that I was paying for it, but it's $14.95 per 24 hour period, $62.95 for 5-7 days, PLUS tax!
I definitely HOPE to stay here again someday! -
Review from Randy B.
Brooklyn, NY
10/21/2011
This is a review I struggled to write. There are so many pros with this hotel:
- The location can't be beat - right across the street from Penn Station
- The rooms were recently remodeled and the decor is gorgeous (modern chic)
- The bed is probably the most comfortable hotel bed I have ever slept in
- Philosophy products in the bathroom - LOVE
However, there is such a huge con that I couldn't rate it higher than 2 stars. The noise level is unbearable. There is an exterior (metal?) casing on the in-room air conditioning units and we were unlucky enough to have non-stop rain all night long. The rain on the metal casing sounded like gunfire (ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but not by much:). The incredible amount of street noise (also due to having a window air-conditioning unit) didnt help either. I didn't get more than a couple of hours sleep the whole night. As weather is unpredictable, I'm not willing to take the risk of staying there again.
For the amount of visitors who stay at this hotel and the amount charged per night, they should seriously invest in a central air conditioning system. Should that ever happen, it would be my pleasure to stay there again. At minimum, complimentary ear plugs or a noise machine (the 4 lullabies provided on the alarm clock did not do the trick) should be provided.
In fairness, I sent this same feedback directly to the hotel and got an almost immediate, personal reply from the Manager. That sort of service does count for something. -
Review from Bathrooms Only ..
San Francisco, CA
10/21/2006
So I've been at the Affinia for the last week and still have one week left. Everything has been awesome so far! The service here is the best I have ever received at any hotel. I get to choose from four different pillows from a "pillow selection card." I mean, come on! That is total rockstar level service which is included with every room.
I am staying in a one bedroom suite that is enormous. Living room, couch, kitchen, desk, dining table, king sized bed, two TVs and two bathrooms. Not to mention, this was CHEAPER than every single recommendation I received from our company travel agency. So the price can't be beat if you get the weekly/corporate rates. It is more or less a one bedroom apartment. I think all the rooms actually might be suites.
As for the general hotel, things seem to be a bit older than other hotels I have stayed in. However, I could really care less if my dresser is a bit older/busted when I have: a) an enormous suite b) awesome service and c) a comfortable bed. Really, that's all I care about when I am traveling.
I would have given it five stars had it not been for no wireless, a busted data port (they let me switch rooms without a problem) and paying for Internet. These things should be free these days! Then again, every hotel I have stayed at has charged ridiculous rates for Internet. -
Review from Becky P.
Los Angeles, CA
5/10/2011
Ok. Let me see where to start . . . This might be a total biased review considering the time I stayed in this hotel, but it tells you about the hotel's integrity. I booked this hotel for only one night during my weekend stay and boy was I disappointed. First of all, the hotel is located right in front of the Madison Square Garden and right infront of the train station. Perfect location. However, the staff was not so good at all. First of all, they failed to tell us that there would be construction going on in the floor above our room. So next thing we know, we are having a good night sleep when at 7am we are awaken by the sound of drilling and hammering and stomping coming from the floor above us. We called and complained and we are offered breakfast after a long discussion. Long story short, the noise was unbearable and i decided to call once more to see what could be done. We had to check out that day and we had had only 4 hours of sleep. The lady from the hotel was very defensive so i demanded to talk to the manager. The manager was nice and calmed and offered a free stay in the next stay and breakfast. Once I checked out I expected to get a voucher or "something" in writing, but NOTHING. The same lady that was very defensive on the phone came to talk to me and told me not to worry and just to call the manager next time i want to stay in the hotel and she will take care of it.
When i asked to speak with her, the lady told me she was in a meeting. When i asked for the manager's business card, she told me she didn't have one. When i demanded and persistently asked for "anything," she came back with her email and phone number.
I didn't get one apology letter or note stating what we had agreed over the phone and I'm still waiting to hear from the manager.
The room was very spacious and with a small kitchen. The bed was confortable until we got rudely awaken by the construction. Anyway, I was disappointed by the hotel's staff integrity to inform it's costumers about the construction in advane so that we would have the choice to stay or not stay in that hotel. I don't know how the rest of the people in that floor did it! I hoped they also complained. -
Review from Deron R.
8/29/2010
This is the nastier, smellier cousin of the Dumont. It's stinky but the price was right. I actually had a 1 bedroom apartment with kitchen for a reasonable price, but it was quite well worn like a broken out fireplace.
Buyer beware,. -
Review from Ravi N.
Arlington, VA
2/8/2011
Typical NYC hotel - supposedly 3.5 stars but the rooms have seen better days. Tiny room, aged bathroom, but nice lobby (they obviously put their money into the common areas not the guest rooms). I got a good deal on Priceline and the place is right next to Penn Station which is convenient.
What really pissed me off about this place is their internet policy. They charge $14.95 for wireless PER DEVICE - meaning that if you have a laptop, iPod, and Kindle, they want $45 for internet access. What a rip off! The staff was most unhelpful and abrupt when I complained about this. I ended up not using their internet at all and instead went to the Starbucks right across seventh ave. instead for free internet. -
Review from MARTIN C.
San Francisco, CA
7/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
Very very friendly staff
Fab fab location
Little faded but for price more than value -
Review from Kris I.
Mountain View, CA
6/26/2008
Location is PERFECT! You can walk to all the Manhattan hot spots - 5th ave., times square, MSG, many great bars and restaurants + so much more!
The hotel's decor is very nice - not real modern though, but it is after all an 80 year old building.
Their is a restaurant/bar downstairs - looked nice, but never made it in to eat/drink - shit, I'm in NY - not gonna spend my time in the hotel!
Their rooms are really nice. The bed was HUGE and sooo comfy - me and my boyfriend barely noticed each others presence in bed it was that big! The little kitchen was a nice touch, though we only used it to store water and left over pizza.
The only flaw to this place was the bathroom - it was so TINY!!! People are not exaggerating when they say you could use the toilet, wash your hands in the sink and wash your feet in the shower - all at the same time! But, hey - really, are you in NY to spend your time in the shower/bathroom? Plus, I knew going into this that the bathroom would be small - all the reviews said so.
All in all - I got a great deal on http://Hotels.com for this place and it was well worth it, plus some!
Would definitely book at this hotel again - even if could brush my teeth while taking a..... ;)Listed in: I left my heart (and $$$) in…
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Review from Maureen M.
San Jose, CA
10/30/2010
We stayed there during Labor day weekend 2010, and we got this hotel from priceline. I was happy when we got this hotel because the hotel was located in such a perfect place. The station is just across the street, and there are bunch of stores nearby, like restaurants, gift stores, magazine kiosks, so you only need the cab if you want to go outside from Midtown. Otherwise everything is walking distance or you can take the train.
Hotel-wise, I gotta say the hotel is quite an old one. The room is somewhat clean, but for the room we got was quite large. We also had a full kitchen in our room (microwave, utensil, etc). I would stay in this hotel again if we had the chance to go to NY, since other hotels are expensive and small too. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our stay in Affinia Hotel. -
Review from umlaut i.
San Francisco, CA
8/18/2007
I had to stay here because my company's "usual" NYC hotel was booked up and my trip was last minute.. At least it was only 2 blocks from my company's HQ, which made my walk to / from the office ridiculously easy.
When my co-worker and I checked in the young ladies at the Front Desk flirted with us 'cause they figured out we were high rollin' Left Coast bizness dudes with expense accounts ("I've always wanted to go to California...How long you in town for... What are you doin' in Noo Yawk..")... I wasn't interested, but my co-worker got a phone number with his room key. Front Desk service: 5 Stars!
Despite the impressive lobby, the room was very average.. It was tired and faded.. The t.v. cart was banged up.. There was a dated kitchenette with a small gas stove, sink, full size 'fridge (that rattled), etc... The room was dirty along the edges (aka half ass housekeeping).. and I noticed a dead cockroach in a corner... Also, there was a teddy bear on the pillow with a tag telling guests how they could purchase it... I would have preferred a bit more attention to upkeep versus the chance to buy a piece of junk tsotski from the comfort of my room.
That being said, it was simply a place to sleep and I wasn't there much due to work and work meetings and work socializing.. and it was easy to find after the work socializing since it's across the street from Madison Square Garden. Room service b'fast arrived right on time and it did the job.
It was obvious the building had been apartments at one time, not only because of the kitchens, but because of the old school mail slots next to the elevators that had dropped outgoing mail down to the lobby. The History Geek in me thought it must have been a pretty high falutin' apartment building back in its day, considering its location.. If those walls could talk...
Now if they would only train their staff in how to use a vacuum cleaner properly... 'cause they got the flirtin' part down. -
Review from Jay V.
Santa Monica, CA
8/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fine for the night of sleep I had. Not a big fan of the hood that it resides in. However, Affinia seems to care about their guests.
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Review from Alexis K.
12/25/2007
The Affinia is prime real estate, IMO. So close to Penn station. My friends and I were lucky enough to get a room overlooking the street, so we could people watch inside.
The lobby was gorgeous, but who spends time in the lobby? More importantly, our room was fairly large with two full sized beds (very comfy) and a sofa bed. The decor was pretty but nothing breathtaking. It was clean, of course, but you should expect a hotel room to be clean. We had a small kitchenette. Our bathroom was tiny. While I'm sure it partially has to do with it being NYC, I've stayed at other hotels in NYC with larger bathrooms. All in all that doesn't really matter to me, but I suppose it could be a concern to some.
If anything, I'd probably stay here again because of location and the staff. -
Review from Stephan S.
Riverdale, MD
8/24/2011
Delivered as promised! I was looking for a quality NYC hotel room for one night and Yelp did not disappoint. Room was small but affordable, clean, stylish, and comfortable. All of the hotel staff we came in contact with upon our arrival were VERY friendly and helpful. Neighborhood is noisy at all hours but it is NYC after all. My only complaint is that housekeeping came twice in the morning to see if we were gone well before check out. Great value and good location for a quick trip in and out of Manhattan!
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Review from Amy D.
Boston, MA
9/14/2011
I had a great stay here, post renovation. The rooms are small but nicely updated and have nice towels, linens and bathrooms. Overall the renovation gets a thumbs up. Would be nice to have bath robes and bottled water in the rooms. I having to go down to the lobby or to a quick mart to buy a bottle of water. $6 a bottle in the room...I'll pay it. Don't want to drink from sketchy glasses that may or may not be clean. Over all, the price was right, staff was friendly and I'd stay there again!
