The Benjamin Royal Sonesta New York

We enjoy staying at this Benjamin midtown hotel, and recent updates have made it a better value. The gym is small but does the job when you want to fit in some exercise after eating around the city. The location is convenient for our family trips to NYC, with subway stations close by and an easy walk to Rockefeller center and the Christmas shopping areas. The rooms and suites are a decent size, with comfortable beds. We especially like the suites with a kitchenette and microwave oven. There are some drawbacks. The rooms weren't properly clean when we checked in, with dust and hairs visible in places. Street noise is typical for a NYC hotel, while the old, small, slow elevators can be frustrating. We usually take the stairs for the extra steps and don't mind that. The $10/day minibar credit doesn't go far when chips cost $8 and a bottle of water is $12. The snack bar should be useful for guests, not feel like a rip off.

We're checking in today for our eighth stay, and keep coming back for the friendly staff, great location, and beautiful rooms. There's a spa, restaurant, and gym, so you've got everything you need in midtown. We don't want to give away our hidden gem, but this is by far the most bang for your buck in the neighborhood.

The room had what you'd expect from a luxury hotel, including a comfortable bed, a great shower, a good TV with lots of channels, and a decent amount of space for a NY hotel room. It was freshly renovated and quiet, too. The doorman and bellmen were great, and every staff member we dealt with was friendly, helpful, well trained, and focused on service. We had a wonderful stay from Friday into Saturday. The midtown location makes it easy to get to restaurants, theaters, shopping, and sightseeing. We highly recommend it.

The Lexington street noise was very loud, with sirens and horns going late into the night. I asked at check-in for a room on the other side of the building, away from Lexington, but one wasn't available. I'd stay again if we could get a room there. We visited with family at Christmastime and had a King Suite. It was nicely furnished with a modern feel, and I liked the hardwood floors instead of carpet. The marble-tiled bathroom looked nice, though it could be bigger, and there's no counter space for toiletries or cosmetics. The location itself is great.