Arrival/Check-In: When I arrived at the InterContinental New York Times Square, there were several eager doormen waiting to help guests with their luggage. I only had an overnight bag, so I declined assistance and headed straight to the front desk to check in. Greeting me with a warm smile, the gentleman at the front desk informed me I had been upgraded to a corner suite. A beautiful room, he assured me.

Guest Quarters: When I entered the room, I agreed: It was indeed beautiful. I was immediately struck by the brightness. Three walls had large windows offering a 180-degree view of the city.

The room was spacious and divided into two areas by a screen. The living area had a comfortable sofa, a flat-screen TV and a nice-sized desk with an extra outlet handy for my laptop or cellphone. The bedroom area had an even bigger TV and a king-sized bed.

The bathroom was small, with only one sink, but the shower was large with a waterfall showerhead. Beautiful blue glass tiles accented the bathroom, and I loved that the hand towels and bath mat were a matching blue. That attention to detail offered a delightful pop of color instead of the usual boring white.

The TV had so many options for movies and numerous directories that I found it a bit difficult to navigate. Late that night, I waded through menu after menu, trying to find a sleep timer to shut off the TV. Unfortunately, I must have hit a few too many buttons during my search, because when I checked out the next morning, I was informed of a pay-per-view movie charge. But as soon as the gentleman at the front desk saw the surprised look on my face, he said, “Obviously, you didn’t watch that movie.” He promptly removed the charge. I was too embarrassed to ask what movie it was and why he knew I wouldn’t have watched it. But I was happy to not have to argue about the charge. I’ll just make a note to be more careful about which buttons I push next time.

Services/Amenities: The hotel’s lounge looked inviting,and I was disappointed I didn’t have time to try the lounge/restaurant Ça Va Brasserie, which is the masterpiece of Chef Todd English.
Located on the third floor, overlooking 44th Avenue, the 2,000-square-foot health and fitness center has 24-hour access and state-of-the-art equipment. The hotel also offers a staffed business center, where guests access a computer, printer, copier and fax.

The Experience: The InterContinental is a great new hotel in a convenient location. The staff always greeted me with a smile and offered assistance. I would happily recommend this hotel to anyone.

InterContinental New York Times Square

300 W. 44th St.
New York, NY 10036
tel 212 803 4500
ichotelsgroup.com