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Roger Smith Hotel
Category: Event Planning & Services Hotels Hotels & Travel Hotels Hotels [Edit]
501 Lexington Ave(between 47th St & 48th St)
New York, NY 10017
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 755-1400
- Nearest Transit:
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51 St (4, 6, 6X)
Grand Central - 42 St (7, 7X)
Grand Central - 42 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
- Price Range:
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$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
28 reviews for Roger Smith Hotel
Review Highlights
"...near Rockefeller Center, Grand Central, subway stops, etc."
(in 5 reviews)
"...was extremely reasonable, and the staff was very personable."
(in 3 reviews)
"...make this a great place to stay during your visit to NYC."
(in 11 reviews)
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28 reviews in English
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Review from c w.
Honolulu, HI
12/2/2011
Great Value!
Okay the decor is outdated but the friendly staff and spacious rooms combined with a very reasonable rate make this a great place to stay during your visit to NYC. I am saving at least $100/day when compared to similar hotels in the area. That $100 can go to more cab rides, better restaurants, etc.
Bottom line how much time will you be spending looking at the wall paper in your room. If the answer is a lot you are spending too much time in your hotel room to begin with. Get out and explore this great city. -
Review from Josh S.
West Hartford, CT
1/15/2012
Staff is very friendly. Pretty good sized rooms for NYC, Clean, the rooms vary. The first night I stayed in your typical carpeted room with an old school TV (the kind that's not flat), the second night I stayed in a room with hard wood floors and all marble bathroom with a flat screen tv.. same price. I guess you just need to ask them for the type of room you prefer. Location is excellent on 48th and Lexington, you're really close to everything. I walked to Rockefeller Center in about 10 minutes. For the price, you really can't do any better in midtown Manhattan.
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Review from Linda L.
San Francisco, CA
6/29/2011
Something about staying here feels like you are staying at your rich grandmother's apartment or something. The furnishings and decor are just really old school New York apartment like. For me that was great, I love hotels but sometimes they can feel a little sterile. Our room even had a live plant!
I was looking at rates on discount hotel sites online and ended up calling the hotel to make sure I could get a room with 2 beds. I eventually just booked over the phone with the extremely accommodating and helpful staff.
Great experience, would recommend for sure, though the beds were a little lumpy. -
Review from karen c.
Boston, MA
4/4/2009
When the Mariott has your snoring, when the thought of another stay at the W Hotel has you rolling your eyes, stay at the Roger Smith Hotel.
Roger Smith Hotel has taken everything great about New York City, put it in a blender, and out popped the must-stay-at hotel in NYC. They've captured the spirit of the city from the art, to the event space, to the quirky charm that you can't quite put your finger on. I guess I'd call it....tastefully eclectic.
The best part? The staff is fantastic.
Whether you're dining at Lily's (the restaurant downstairs) or grabbing a drink at the bar, you are well taken care, of at the Roger Smith Hotel. With so many questionable choices in Midtown (umm...hello, suits galore), you can come to the Roger Smith Hotel and feel at home, even if your home is thousands of miles away. (Hey, it helps that a majority of their staff is international!).
Roger Smith Hotel is also conveniently located to um....everything. You want to visit the big ol' Christmas tree (can I refer to it in a review without being un-PC?..I'm going to!)-you're around the corner. You want to buy a counterfeit Louis Vuitton bag in Chinatown? Hop on the E train and 20 minutes later you'll be smack dab in the middle of faux handbag heaven.
You need to get to JFK airport? Hop on the E train and get right to the Air Tran for your flight. You get my drift.
Because this is a one-of-a-kind hotel, your visit to the Roger Smith Hotel will be an experience. And a good one at that. You will not get a better value in Manhattan.
Vanilla Bean approved! -
Review from Seven Y.
Bethesda, MD
12/2/2008
4.5 stars.
I'm in NY a lot. And I mean a lot. I usually get booked a swanky suite at the Waldorf or the W, but my most recent trip this past week was on my dime... which means I had to pay for my own hotel stay. Oh helll no would I personally spend $500 a night for 3 consecutive nights Thanksgiving week just for a place to sleep and work. I'm not cheap, but I'd rather buy a new Louis thankyouverymuch.
I found the Roger Smith Hotel through Travelocity. Based on the photos I saw from the hotel website, their rooms seemed to offer the most space. A corner desk, actual sitting room, FLOOR SPACE... Anyone knows that your average NYC hotel rooms are tiny tiny. Call me a procrastinator, but I booked my reservations late morning on Monday 11/24/2008. Fast forward some hours on a crappy ride to NY and I checked in later that afternoon!
Soon as I walked into my room, I was so pleasantly surprised! Wowie, I can actually roll around on the floor and then some (not that I ever would, but if I wanted to...). This worked out so perfectly for me because I had a lot of people over and we all had room! There was even three of us sleeping on the bed one night with plenty of room in between us.
The maid service did wonders each day as I had sort of made a mess on the floor (cutting hair, heh heh... though I did clean up as much as I could) that I tipped them like mad and even left Magnolia cupcakes for them! I requested extra towels twice and got them promptly. We ordered delivery a few times and each and every time the food delivered right to my room with a hotel staff escort.
Minus .5 stars because of the tiny bathroom. Not that I care, but it was a bit crowded. The drain hole in the tub was literally a hole. Like a black hole. I was almost scared something would crawl out of it, but fortunately that didn't happen. -
Review from RON C.
8/4/2009
I've experienced better hotels but I guess this is what you should expect in a New York Hotel. The staff wasn't very friendly at the desk but yet the staff that will clean your room are very friendly, It would get really humid in the room and it will take the AC awhile for it to get cool. The iron didn't work and I called the front desk for a replacement iron and all they told me was we'll see if we have one or call again tommorow morning. That is what you call lazy customer service.
Haha I came to my room after a good nightlife at a lounge in West Village area came to find to Front Desk worker was snoozing on the couch. Another night there was no one in the front desk like the worker was probably in his own little sleep area. What if my card was demagnatized and there was no one to help me? that would be so Inconvenient.
Yet since this hotel was fairly at a good price $500 for 4 nights I guess it is what it is. As a california native this was my first NY hotel I know there are better hotels in NY than the Roger Smith Hotel. I recommend to those that are baller on a budget to stay at this hotel but I will never stay at this hotel ever again. -
Review from Hank C.
9/28/2008
Tasteful, two nice iMac's out in the lobby for general use, too. Went to a very nice mini-Hayden concert up in the penthouse - while a bit warm for 30+ people to pile into, the decor was tasteful and the AC when turned on helped to moderate the room a bit.
Overall, looked very nice in the bedroom, clean, and a somewhat tattered piano in the study, but otherwise quite acceptable. -
Review from Aimee M.
Chicago, IL
12/13/2006
What a charming hotel. The suites are perfect for a getaway in the midst of the city. You feel like you're in the country at a B&B, the room was spacious, the amenities plentiful and the staff was both helpful and polite.
A great little spot for a romantic rendezvous with a special you know who... -
Review from Katie M.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 6/24/2009
Update to my review. I still haven't stayed at the RSH, however my parents have.
The RSH is active on social networking sites like Twitter, and after I tweeted that my parents were staying there, they responded to make sure they'd had a smooth check-in experience.
We arrived to a complimentary bottle of wine, three glasses and a personalized note welcoming us to the RSH with best wishes for my parent's stay in the city.
Yet another positive for this hotel. I'm absolutely swayed by free alcohol.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/16/2009
This is my first review on Yelp and I'm happy to have it be the Roger Smith.
I first found out about… Read more »
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Review from Bibiana C.
New York, NY
6/9/2010
would be 5 were it not for the fact that the doorman/bellhop left me standing in the rain attempting to hail a cab while juggling multiple bags...not my finest moment.
Anyway, I flew back to visit friends at Columbia to announce my return, and my ex was confusingly kind enough to get me a room for my last night in the city. Now, i dont know if he thought I was joking when I said i had zero money, or all he remembered was my shopping habit, but the location did NOT help my pockets! It was extremely peaceful, and the bed was comfy, with a small but CLEAN bathroom.
There is an adorable french front desk agent who is clearly delighted with his job and chatting up everyone checking in to the dismay of his boss which put a smile on my face.
I wont lie, the one slow elevator makes for awkward rides, especially when your trapped and the guy across from you attempts conversation, but its perfect for those nights your coming in from a night out and a little flirtation is needed to take the edge off. -
Review from Cheri. A G.
Los Angeles, CA
2/5/2008 10 photos
My friend won a free trip to NYC and this was the hotel they had us stay at.
It is not a typical NYC hotel it is more like what you might find in London.
The rooms are pretty decent size for NY, they have FREE wireless internet, they have a iMac in the lobby to use for FREE and all the staff is very friendly. [see photos]. -
Review from Jamie P.
Portland, OR
8/14/2010
We are a 30's-ish couple who stayed in NYC for one night after visiting family in Jersey for a week. I've never actually stayed in the city (remember the family in jersey?) and this was awesome.
The room was larger than my friends' apartments. I mean actually large - not "large for the city." Two queen beds, desk, chair, etc..... It had everything I could care about in a hotel room: bed and linens were SUPER comfy (yay pillow top!) although i know it would have been way too soft for, say, my mom. Security seemed good. Shower was hot and good pressure. Coffeemaker in room. Free wifi that was fast and reliable - good enough to watch a movie on the laptop.
Don't think there were much for "amenities" but we weren't really looking for anything. Bathroom was pretty spacious, but not much space to put things - very vintage. Clean and neat, but not "perfect" - clearly showed some signs of age. No actual problems, and I find the perfect homogenity of the big chain hotels annoying.
Liked the vintage charm of the bookcase of books (we took one and left one), and the old prints on the wall. A/C not so effective, but we don't have one at home, either, so it's not something we're too used to. Opening the windows worked fine, although the construction noise on Lexington was a bit loud. Also can't complain about the tv, because, again, not something we really ever use at home.
Location was to die for. A few blocks from everything "tourist," most importantly central park and our broadway show. And grand central station! And a perfectly safe neighborhood to walk all of those places.
Didn't eat in the restaurants or really take advantage of anything else. They were very gracious about storing our luggage from about 11 a.m. before our checkin until we came back about 6:30 to check in and change before going back out.
Overall a lovely place to rest, if your hotel isn't the point of your stay.
Oh, and it's right around the corner from the waldorf-astoria.... check out the bathrooms there! ;)
One more FYI, got our room on Priceline and paid damn near nothing. Specified the area and the desired price, and 3.5 stars or above. SO worth it. Would recommend at (mostly) full price. -
Review from Emily M.
2/18/2008
Got a good deal on a hotel room here because it was off-season. Good sized room, free continental breakfast every day, and great location in Midtown near Rockefeller Center, Grand Central, subway stops, etc.
Also nice that they don't waste resources by putting new sheets on the bed every day.
The only annoying part was that we had to ask to get the radiator/steam heat fixed so it would stop leaking and (we hoped) stop making random loud banging whenever it felt like it - especially when we were sleeping. The leak was fixed, and we fiddled with the thermostat for a bit before we found a setting that was the least likely to cause banging, thankfully.
Also, our request for firmer pillows went twice unheeded. My bf and I both highly disliked the extreme softness of even 2 pillows stacked together.
Overall, we got a good deal on a pretty nice place, with some personality (they have art installations all around). -
Review from scott s.
New York, NY
1/13/2010
This Place was dirty unkempt and smelled like it was just re done...
horrid horrid place. -
Review from Christine C.
Bryn Mawr, PA
5/4/2011
Very upset and disappointed to know that someone at the hotel decided to charge my credit card for $300 AFTER I had checked out. Up to learning about this incident, I had had two good experiences at this hotel. But I can't recommend or stay again at a place where I can't trust the staff.
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Review from Jamie S.
Boston, MA
11/27/2009
I was in the city for a work-related event that was actually being held at the Roger Smith, so it couldn't have been any more convenient. The event was a huge success, and I had the rest of the weekend to enjoy the accommodations. For a midtown hotel, the price was extremely reasonable, and the staff was very personable. Apparently I said the magic words, because I got a free upgrade to a large corner room. The rustic style of the rooms (exemplified by my vintage four-post bed) was a nice contrast to what you'd expect in a NYC hotel, and from what I understand, each individual room is different.
Prices seem to have gone up since I was there, but if you're looking for a reasonable stay in midtown, it's worth checking out. -
Review from Paula L.
San Jose, CA
2/13/2011
Secured our reservation through Priceline, Name your own Price, and couldn't have been more pleased. The lobby is small but nice. They have a friendly staff and they have two computers in the lobby for guests to use for free. Each hallway is designed a little differently from one another. Our room, which we got for $150 plus tax and priceline fee, was very nice. The bathroom amenities included a toothbrush and toothpaste. We didn't know how to turn the heater off/down because it was one of those antique type so we called downstairs to have it turned off and the attendant was there in no time at all. I highly recommend this hotel.
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Review from Rachel K.
New York, NY
10/12/2009 2 photos
I found a great price for the Roger Smith Hotel via http://Quikbook.com (love that site). I walked in and was greeted with not only fun art but 2 internet connected computers - perfect for an internet junkie like me. My room had a very comfortable bed and a decent amount of space, especially for New York. It was totally comfortable and cozy. I was a little surprised to find that the hotel had a 13th floor and that I was staying on it - I wouldn't say I'm superstitious, but that was a little odd.
The staff were friendly and checkin was fast and easy, and I enjoyed my stay. I had to run some errands while there and found Bliss and Sephora nearby as well as Grand Central. This hotel is located near a bunch of other very grand hotels and buildings. They were also very responsive on Twitter (@RShotel). I slept very, very well and would definitely stay here again. I didn't have any problems or issues or questions so that's really all I have to say; it was a funky hotel with a comfy bed, spacious room, good location if you want to stay in Midtown. -
Review from David W.
New York, NY
7/20/2009
I live in the greater NYC area and have stayed at several hotels in the city, many in midtown. So I'd been very excited about staying at RSH as it looked like something more unique among NYC hotels; photos and reviews gave it an artistic air and class.
Unfortunately, the building is not remotely suited for noise reduction and this is my biggest complaint. I stayed near the top of the hotel and heard car horns through the single-pane windows all night long. (This is not traditional of NYC hotels in midtown on the whole. I've stayed at several others, including one just 2 blocks away, where this was not a concern.) Also, the room doors are heavy and set in (ill-fitting?) metal frames, so every time another hotel guest closes their door, its clang echoes through the walls.
Too, the temperature control (2 "wallbanger" units) left something to be desired. (It was a high of 85 outside in the day, and I doubt the temperature dipped below 80 inside during the night.)
The staff was kind enough. Visually, the room was fantastic - but upon use, the majority of lamps did not work, only one of the two TV's had cable (which was in the bedroom, and had a shoddy cable connection). You get the idea.
My recommendations: Grab a few drinks in the bar on the ground floor (the drinks and bar staff were great), but don't stay over unless your goal is just having a place to take some cool facebook photos. It's pretty to look at, but it isn't practical. If you do stay over, and you intend to sleep, hit the Duane Reade across the street and pay $6 for some earplugs - but it's smarter to stay at one of the other comparable hotels in the area. -
Review from Jason P.
7/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
Didn't stay here, but got to check out two venues, one at the rooftop and one at Lily's Bar. The rooftop area is a bit cramped, approximately 20'x10' with a mini-bar area and several picnic tables. Not much of a view as other buildings seem to block everything. Lily's Bar on the lobby floor was also quite small with a bar area that can seat about 5. All the bartenders ever seemed to care about was a generous tip which put a bad taste in my mouth. The bathroom was also a bit inconvenient as you have to take the elevator up one floor to what I believe is the mezzanine.
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Review from G L.
Portland, OR
9/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
Cute hotel with different decorations in each room; it feels more like you are staying with friends or in Europe - not a sterile antiseptic hotel. Nice rooftop bar and great central location.
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Review from Jaimie B.
San Rafael, CA
10/20/2009
The price and location of this hotel is superb. The hotel is extremely close to everything (Grand Central, Rockfeller Center, 5th Ave, Central Park and Times Square) It is also super close to metro stops, so you can go anywhere in the city quickly and for cheap. The staff are SOOO extremely warm and friendly (which wasn't what I expected in NYC) The staff heard that it was our one year anniversary, so they set up a private romantic (surprise) meal for us AND sent a bottle of Prosecco to our room, on the house. The rooms were decent sized, clean and well kept. The Roger Smith doesn't have the contemporary, swanky appeal that something like the W Hotel has but that is what makes this hotel fun and unique. I highly recommend the Roger Smith and Lilies Restaurant. Follow them on Twitter @rshotel
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Review from Shannon H.
Austin, TX
9/15/2010
Not a great hotel. The price is insane for what you get. For $429 I was expecting a pretty nice hotel, even for NYC. My bed was incredibly squeaky and lumpy and I woke up with a sore neck. The shower had horrible pressure, was very small, and the water would shift from hot to cold abruptly. The hotel in general is very old and it shows in the room appointments - they are not hip or chic by any means. The entrance to the hotel is slightly chic but it stops right there. The carpet was old and stained and the the A/C had to be turned on full blast to cool my room even in the temperate September air. I was really disappointed overall and will not be coming back. I stayed in a Marriott in Baton Rouge Louisiana for $80 that was 100X better than this hotel.
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Review from Michelle G.
Jefferson, CO
Updated - 9/3/2009
I scored a good deal on this hotel on http://priceline.com. Reading some reviews of the hotel I felt good about my win but wondered about some of the negative reviews.
We arrived at the hotel around 5:30pm. Manuel the front desk agent on duty when we arrived had spoken with my boyfriend the day before our arrival and set up a room on the 12th floor.
We were tired after a long flight and walked into a very well air conditioned room that smelled wonderful. The bed looked very inviting (I miss the down comforter and pillows). We unpacked our suitcases and looked around the room. It was big for New York, I've stayed elsewhere. Decent size closet, bathroom was clean and room looked very nice.
Our stay was very pleasant, hotel sits in between 2 subway stops and isn't too far walking from time square or many other attractions. Taxi fare back to the hotel wasn't bad either. Asked for help with Lion King tickets and had news the next day. We only spoke to 2 of the front desk agents and both gentlemen were wonderful help. They remembered our names and offered wonderful dining options. Our room was clean everyday with no problems. We will be back in February for my birthday and are very excited to stay here again!!
Bed held up well for a couple on an anniversary trip, we've experienced creaking, and a malfunctioning headboard at other hotels.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/1/2009
I'm headed to New York to celebrate an anniversary. After many many sleepless hours I finally found… Read more »
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Review from Shad A.
Fayetteville, GA
12/25/2009
Clean rooms, friendly and unobtrusive service, awesome value. Very good location.
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Review from Billie C.
New York, NY
3/26/2010
I attended a Digital Flash seminar here and have to say it was a good experience. Very artsy ball room gave a more creative vibe than the typical conference rooms at the Marriott or other chain hotels. They have a bar in the lobby that hosts sporting events, serves food and beverages. It is a perfect little spot to get together and devise plans to save the world or make your next million.
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Review from Kati C.
Austin, TX
4/20/2010
I completely loved my stay at the Roger Smith: it's such a change from the tiny-but-chic-and-crazy-expensive hotels and the still tiny-but-cookie-cutter-boring-and-slightly-less-ex pensive hotels that I've stayed in in NYC so often. The RSH is a total Mad Men New York experience: mid-century, hold the modern. The entry has bright red plush carpeting and funky 50's psuedo-Moore sculptures outside; upstairs, each room is individually decorated in a period-perfect Cape Cod style - again, so Mad Men... My room was larger than my husband's studio apartment before we moved away from Manhattan; for insiders, let me list what was in my room: a queen-size bed with real headboard, two bedside tables, two high-back armchairs, a full double dresser, a TV stand, and a full-size desk, and plenty of room to move around. I've been in plenty of NY hotel rooms for double the price where there's a bed, a beside shelf, a TV armoire, and a mini-bathroom. The bathroom was small, only marginally renovated, a bit grey in corners (cleaning is fine but not stellar, I admit); for ladies with a lot of stuff, there's only two small four-inch wide glass shelves for laying things out. (Trade-off: enough closet space with full-length hanging space, hallelujah).
Location was great for subway and taxi travel - a couple blocks from Grand Central, the 4-5-6, the F, and the S shuttle to Times Square (or an easy walk), as well as all the big-name shops on Fifth Avenue, and Madison. I could get to the Metropolitan Museum or NoLiTa with the same ease. Staff was very, very friendly, prompt, and helpful, and always greeted and said goodbye to me as I come and went.
The bed was a full pillowtop and very comfortable, with plenty of pillows in a variety of densities; sheets were soft and white and fresh. The other delightful addition was a bookshelf that in my room offered everything from Margaret Mead to Tracy Chevalier to Nora Roberts to Michael Chriton - I was there alone on business and loved picking up a new book every night before I feel asleep.
Drawbacks: no modern TV systems, so only very basic cable and no movies, etc (there was a VCR slot in the small TV, smile); doors are old and don't seal tightly, so there's some noise from the hall and other rooms, if your room can adjoin, and there's just normal Midtown street noise; no minibar or room service, and the restaurant is good breakfast but overpriced - but takeout and delivery options abound, I bet. (I didn't find any evidence of whatever that smell is that other people have mentioned, and I'm usually really picky about that).
This won't make your beloved swoon, unless she's especially bookish or a big Mad Men fan, but for a person who's just sick of the same old same old and has done the high-fashion thing (or doesn't like the high-fashion thing), I recommend the RSH. It's a respite from the (albeit delightful) New York crazy, like staying in your sweet old aunt's house in her prewar, rent-controlled guest room, if she lived two blocks from the hottie scene at the W. I have an offer to stay with a friend on my next trip, and I'm seriously considering staying at the RSH, anyway. -
Review from Jessica M.
Chicago, IL
11/7/2009
The staff MAKES this place a HUGE winner in my book. I cannot say enough good things about this hotel and all things they've done in the social media scene. Ask for Henry when you visit, I promise you won't be disappointed.
