Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan by IHG

I’ll be honest – when I first heard about Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan by IHG, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a hotel wedged between the Garment District and Hell’s Kitchen. But you know what? This four-star place completely changed my mind about staying in this part of town.

The location on West 36th is actually brilliant once you get your bearings. You’re literally a five-minute walk from Penn Station (which sounds terrible but is incredibly handy), and Herald Square is right there when you need to grab something quick. What I really love though is how you can duck into Hell’s Kitchen for dinner – there’s this whole world of authentic Thai and Mexican spots just a few blocks west that most tourists never find. The hotel itself sits on a relatively quiet stretch, which honestly surprised me given how close you are to all the Midtown chaos. I mean, you’ll still hear the occasional siren, but it’s not like staying right on Broadway where garbage trucks seem to have a personal vendetta against your sleep.

The rooms are what you’d expect from a solid chain hotel, but with some nice touches that show someone actually thought about the guest experience. The beds are genuinely comfortable (I’m picky about this), and the bathrooms are modern without feeling sterile. Here’s something I appreciated – the curtains actually block out light, which is harder to find in New York than you’d think. The fitness center is decent sized and usually pretty empty in the mornings, though it gets busy around 6 PM when all the business travelers finish up their meetings. One thing to know – the elevators can be slow during peak times, so factor that in if you’re running late for dinner reservations.

What really won me over was the staff and the little details. The front desk folks actually know the neighborhood and can point you toward good coffee (there’s a fantastic spot called Birch on 27th that locals hit up) or help you figure out the subway situation if you’re not used to it. The lobby has this comfortable, lived-in feel – not too fancy, not trying too hard. I spent some time working there one afternoon and it was perfect for that. Check-in was smooth, they held my bags without any fuss when I arrived early, and honestly the whole experience just felt… easy. Sometimes that’s exactly what you want when you’re dealing with everything else that comes with a New York trip. It’s the kind of place where you can tell the management actually cares about getting things right, which goes a long way in a city where mediocre service often gets a pass just because of location.