From: sfysh@epas.utoronto.ca (Stephanie Moskal Fysh)
Subject: Hotel Review: The Paramount, New York City
Organization: University of Toronto - EPAS
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 22:32:44 GMT

And now for something rather different:  a hotel review.

Over the holidays, I spent 3 nights at the recently reopened Paramount
Hotel in New York City.  It's right in the theatre district, on 46th
between 7th and 8th.  If you've been around there and can't recall
seeing it, that could be because it has *no* hotel sign outside.
You're supposed to know.  It's that kind of place.

The hotel is *very* modern (like stepping into one of the design
exhibits at the MOMA - all 1990s).  The doormen wear nice black suits
and Tshirts instead of looking like throwbacks to the 19th century.
The small newstand in the lobby sells only black and white photographs
for postcards.  There are fresh red roses stuck into walls.

The rooms are also very modern - except for the baths, which have
marvellous old fixtures and are quite wonderful.  And the radiators (I
never did quite figure out how to work mine).  The beds are large and
very comfortable, with plenty of pillows and rolls for reading
(excellent reading light) or watching TV or a video -- every room has
a VCR.  Oh yes - and the sinks are conical stainless steel.

The standard-level rooms are quite small (it was a bit of a squeeze
between the bottom of the bed and the wardrobe), but I found it good enough.

Off the lobby, there's a Dean and Delucca Espresso Bar with takeout -
very well-priced, and the tea was acceptable too.  A good option for
breakfast.  Also off the lobby is a very comfortable cocktail bar.  On
the mezzanine level all around the lobby (almost every table overlooks
it) is the hotel restaurant, which was moderately priced with a small
wine list and a decent beer list.  The food was quite good.  Anything
on the restaurant menu is also available room service with a $2.50
room service fee (except on continental breakfast, movie snacks, and
liquor).  Next to the hotel is a fancy, expensive brasserie.

The hotel has a fitness room and children's play room, neither of
which I saw.  They can also arrange for a sitter.  And they are
planning to open a nightclub, which given the atmosphere and general
hipness-quotient of the place could be quite good.

The only drawbacks I could see were the size of the standard-level
rooms (including small closets and only three drawers in the wardrobe,
and just a small table without a desk), and that some people might
find the lighting levels too low (though stylishly so).

The biggest plus is the price:  regular prices are $155-$200 a night,
with weekend packages available.  There are also luxury rooms, and
probably a few luxury suites (since apparently Madonna and David Bowie
have both stayed there).  Service is excellent and very prompt - our
room service and video order were delivered right away (Almodovar, even).

All in all, a good deal for a high-quality hotel conveniently located
in the theatre district (between the museum district and the hipper
areas of lower Manhattan).  I highly recommend it.

-- 
Stephanie Moskal Fysh    |   "Today an eighteenth-century scholar may well
Dept. of English         |   be Jewish, female, or generally irreverent."
Univ. of Toronto         |                             - Lawrence Lipking
(sfysh@epas.utoronto.ca) |                            
Newsgroups: rec.travel