The best thing about this hotel is its location being opposite Maddison Square Gardens and along the road from Time Sqaure. The underground is directly opposite the hotel and the Empire Sate Building and Maceys within walkinfg distance. Haviing said that the hotel is dowdy and in urgent need of refurbishment. The staff were off hand and teh food overprioced and of average quality. If you can put up with these deficits because of the superb location then this hotel could be for you - perversely we woud stay ther again and eat out at the local restaurants whcih are pretty good.

Pics on Pennsylvania Hotel website have NOTHING to do with the hotel except the lobby and conference part on 18th floor where washrooms were lovely and the meeting rooms were worn but functional.

I was there for a workshop. Sounds like we had about the "best"of the rooms. Window broken so it is open in November. No hot water. Didn't want to put my feet on ground unless I had my shoes on. Bed were clean. TV worked. Bathroom was disgusting. Made my dive of an apt in university look good. Our room was only cleaned once in four days/three nights.

In front of it is Penn.Sta (MTA Subway stop) and Madison Sq. Garden. North a few blocks is Times Sq. Behind it is the "PATH" NJ subway stop. To get a dingy room with a shared bath around here is at least 175.00 . The Penn hotel with a tolerable (only slightly dirty carpet) room and a clean private bath was 180.00 a night. The subway is still 2.25 to go anywhere.

Stayed here for 4 nights in November 2012 - last time I was here was 11 years previous in 2001 and the wealth of bad reviews recently made me apprehensive about staying here again.

But I need not have worried. This hotel IS old and a bit shabby but my room was **ultra-clean**, all bedding and towels ultra-clean and the bathroom also.

YES there might have been a hairline crack on the bathroom sink, YES the paintwork in the room was shoddy, YES the TV was ancient, YES the carpet a bit worn - but does this make for a dreadful stay in NYC? NO!!!!!!

Location is SECOND TO NONE - straight opposite PENN STATION. No walking around hauling bags when you get off the train or bus from the airport or from the subway during your stay.

Next door (practically) is MACY's. Starbucks, Pret-A-Manger, Whole Foods, etc. etc. ALL ON YOUR DOORSTEP!!! Times Square a few minutes walk up the street. Subway right outside takes you ANYWHERE instantly.

I found the front-desk staff perfectly helpful and polite. I made use of the free safe deposit box every day to store my laptop and ALWAYS got friendly and polite staff. Even chatty some days.

The cleaning staff always had a "good morning" for me when I passed them in the corridor!

Free fast WiFi in my room (wasn't expecting that) and even though I was on the 16th floor I *never* had to wait for an elevator - they have tons of them, all new and clean and FAST.

Slept like a baby every night (when I arrived I said I'd like a quiet room and the receptionist said 'no problem'). TV is ancient but perfectly adequate with about 20 or so channels. Bed was super-comfortable and my superior double room was not cramped at all. Bathroom old but clean. Shower had great water pressure and instantly hot every morning.

So if you are expecting the Ritz but you've paid less than almost any other hotel rate (for en-suite room) in the city, then yes you will be disappointed.

On the other hand if you are expecting a clean, comfortable room in an AMAZING location for a price around HALF the typical NYC hotel price then you will not be disappointed.