How would you like to sleep in a room where a larger than life Picasso is staring at you unflinchingly? Well, this was my room on the 12th floor of this renovated, très hip and chic hotel. The Gershwin Hotel had been booked for a group of us, and I understand the above rate ($129/night) was a corporate discount.
At first, the appearance of the hotel can be a bit unsettling, especially if you are arriving around midnight, and fatigue has gotten the best of you. As we pull up in front, I see gigantic, hornlike protrusions from the wall, which are lit, and are quite suggestive of perhaps a "bordello"? It could be the influence of the Museum of Sex which is right next door. Once in the lobby, I feel much better. It's quite colorful, lots of art, aluminum doors cover the original 100 year old elevators. The reception area is to the right of the registration desk, and there, you can relax on retro couches, or listen to music if you're early enough. There are live performances nightly, and unfortunately, by the time I arrive at the hotel after each show day, I can only think of one thing: my bed.
I do get help with my luggage as I have been travelling now for more than a week, and have yet another week to go. Each floor has separate art installations that feature international painters, photographers, mostly avant-garde. The floors are painted in bright colors, as in red. The room is simple with basic amenities like a telephone, cable TV, a hair dryer in the bathroom, an old fashioned armoire for clothes! And I know all about those extra tall curtains covering those extra tall New York windows! It means that if you open them, you'll be facing a brick wall . . .
Under Picasso, there are two armchairs and a small table which becomes the suitcase station. There is a desk, but I wonder what one can do there . . . no internet access from the room; ah, it's beginning to feel like Europe. You can access your email in a remote part of the lobby where it's about $1 for 5 minutes. Sometimes, the machine is temperamental and refuses your credit card, so you have to feed it dollars, and early in the morning, it takes a great deal of pleasure throwing them up back at you.
There was an in-site café, but during my stay, it was undergoing renovation which was actually great, as I got acquainted again with the typical NY coffee shop experience every morning.
The hotel has location going for it if you are wanting to stay around midtown, or heading for Soho. For the Jacob Javits Center, I would not pick this venue, as it is way too far. And oh, stay away from the limousine service kiosk in the lobby. You can do much better on your own with the yellow pages.