We had a wonderful stay at the Helmsley Park lane: the hotel is in a great location, our room was great, spacious, modern and sophisticated.
The hotel restaurant has a very nice view but is really expensive. Worth going for a coffe and a croissant just to read a newspaper and feel rich.
But we had a very unpleasant experience with a dishonest concierge. I asked him for tickets for the Blue Man Group and he told us they were very, very difficult to find but that he would still try to get them for us. He got back to me with a US$ 400 ticket (I was lucky that night, he said). I said no thanks but just out of curiosity called the theatre. They had tickets for any night of our stay and we bought, for less then US$ 200, tickets in a great place for that same night. I should've called the police!

Before I travelled to New York I read, as a matter of course, all the reviews on TripAdvisor with regard to the Park Lane. I really wanted to stay here as it is central and has views of Central Park from some of the rooms. Having read the reviews I was somewhat hesitant in booking the room but thought, how bad can it be as I was only going to be there for two nights!

Before I booked the room I thought I would ask the Park Lane to defend their hotel and give me some level of reassurance as to the state of the rooms. Despite emails to several people, including Mr Anoussis the general manager, I received absolutely no response. I made an assumption that the hotel staff could not make any assurances on the basis, they did not have any faith in their own hotel. This was a shame, but in such a litigious environment perhaps not so surprising.

Regardless, I decided I would book the hotel. My opinion is this…

On the minus side. The rooms are a bit dated, in fact think 1970s (‘Whatever Happened to The Likely Lads’, Paisley print shirts with long wing collars… that kind of thing!) and you’ll have an idea about the décor. Possibly kitsch, but that really depends upon your taste. Personally I was not bothered one way or the other.

The bathroom, like the bedroom, was in need of a refurbishment (or at a minimum a good steam clean). There was a fridge in the bathroom, which is a nice touch, but not one we took advantage of. As I could not find an ice vending machine I made the assumption you needed to take ice from the fridge or call room service. Again, the room is very 1970s (purple wallpaper on the walls… and ceiling! Interesting but dated wall lights) and the fixtures are showing their age… except the hairdryer.

In general, let me repeat, the room is dated and really deserves a remodel in my opinion!

But then we have the positives. Ignoring the unanswered emails, I found the hotel employees to be pleasant, helpful and a real credit to the hotel. The room was of a good size, plenty of hanging space and drawers and in a nod to modernism there was an LCD TV on the wall. The safe was interesting too. Rather than the ‘think of a number’ type, it uses your credit card, simply swipe it through to lock and then use the same card to unlock.

But there is one really great reason to stay here… the view. If you get a park view room the down sides fade into insignificance, well… they did for us. I spent an hour sitting on the window ledge looking over the park and reading the paper… didn’t even notice the wallpaper behind me! And it is as pleasant at night as it is during the day.

Right outside the door, you have 5th Avenue and its sensational array of shops. Or you can hop on a horse drawn carriage for a trip around the park, they park right outside the hotel… but can be a little pricey!

So all in all, I recommend this hotel so long as you are looking for a sensational New York vista at a reasonable price and can live with dated but functional furnishings. Make sure you get a park view though!

I guess it is also worth considering, if the hotel did refurbish… the clientele would foot the bill. The neighbouring hotels also offering views of Central Park (Ritz, Trump, Jumeriah) probably have better furnishings, same view but are in a very different price band. Also worth considering that with property prices still booming in Manhattan (regardless of what happens in the rest of the US) there is always the possibility Helmsley will take the same route as the Plaza just down the street which has closed as a hotel and is being converted to condominiums, starting around the $1m mark and going up… considerably.

Hope that helps!

Here are the positive aspects first. The location is unbeatable and the park views are outstanding. The lobby, bar, breakfast, elevators, concierge, and staff were adequate.
Our room had a flat screen tv and great internet connection, but no refrigerator.
Our room did not have a shower curtain, mattress pad, or bottom sheet. These were problems that could be corrected. The decor was dreadful. The furniture and carpet were very worn and stained. The bathroom needed updating (badly). So it just felt dirty whether it actually was or not.
However, some in our party had nicer rooms which had been somewhat updated. Their rooms were blue, and they had a city view. Our rooms were red, and there was not a view. The prices were the same.
The halls also need updating.
I've stayed at this hotel many times over the years because of the location and the price. I thought the decor was tacky and gaudy even when it was new, so it's just not my taste. But now it's just too worn out.
The location is so perfect that many things can be overlooked. But I won't be back until there is a renovation.

I traveled to the Helmsley Park Lane for work and was very pleased with the location. The hotel is situated one block west of 5th Avenue and directly across the street from Central Park. CBS, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany's, Henri Bendel's, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral and MOMA are all within walking distance.

I had a double room facing the city. The tapestried headboards and aging furniture weren't as noticeable as the great view. Their was ample closet space, a minifridge under the bathroom sink, and a flat screen TV.

The front desk manager was lovely but her staff seemed listless. The concierge was helpful. The bartenders at Harry's Bar were attentive. The housekeepers seem ever present so use your 'Do Not Disturb' sign if you want to avoid the housekeeper's 10:30pm knock for turn down service.

Their is a small workout center on the lower level. I was looking for an Elliptical machine but this hotel doesn't offer one. The Cybex machines were great though.

Overall, my stay at the Helmsley was comfortable and I would stay at this hotel again.