Chinatown & Lombardi's

Spent the day before new years here, only really popped in & out to shower & sleep when we needed to, so we didnt spend too much time inside, but Location Location Location really makes up for most of the points here.

Its literally on Broadway, just a half block away from the intense & bright lights of all that is the glory of Broadway NY, NY!! Which is within stumbling distance of Time Square a few blocks down if you find yourself too inebriated to walk properly. I imagine that the surrounding streets are busy 24/7 on a normal day as well.

As for the hotel itself, the modest door to 49th St is marked by a modest sign, easily passed up if you are driving by at any normal speed, but you will probably be crawling by since you will have to float thru Rockefeller Square & Time Square & Broadway. The lobby is small by most standards, and the one glass elevator that takes you up to the second story probably fits 8 people comfortably, or 4 people with bags.

Front desk service varies from person to person, but im not going to take any points away since im sure they were more than swamped with the new years crowd. It could have been more uppidy but it sufficed.

The room itself (a single king size bed) was pretty kewl, considering...and the consideration is me being used to renting a closet in Japan for more or less the same price. This happy Holidays cost about $300 everything all together, which i hear is cheapo compared to the surrounding options. Still, if all you're gonna do is sleep there its not too bad. Personally i wouldnt have spent the money, but as i said before you simply cant beat the location. You have access to everything in Midtown...except of course good food, but that is hardly the hotel's fault hahaha!!

We got two creditcard keys, which didnt seem to work for me at all, i guess i dont have the magic touch hahaha, but they worked for my friend jsut fine. The bathroom was liberally stocked with towels and amenities & the bed came with bathrobes, which really is industry standard, but a nice touch all the same. We didnt make use of the mini-fridge and its mini-bar which would have cost mega-bucks. The only complaint i would have is with the length of the shower curtain, which hovers 1 inch above the lip of the shower...not too helpful as it flooded the floor surrounding the toilet. Hurray cold wet puddle! Woo Hoo!...NOT@!@!

Metro & subways are within blocks and the doorstaff are really friendly, which helps a lot when all you need are a few "New York" answers to questions like, "Where can i get on the metro?" "Which way to Broadway?" "What time is checkout?" Checkout was a piece of cake too, so long as you dont mind paying ^^

We actually stored our bags at the baggage claim to the right of the front desk, and left them there from morning to evening for free...which is a hell of a steal. When we returned to reclaim them, they were set aside in a storage room so theres no danger of them walking off.

Im used to staying in a room of up to 7 other people, smelling and snoring like dogs, so these fru-fru hotels and their swanky lounges and bed spreads are far & few in between. Still, after sleeping on a couch in Brooklyn for a week, it was a nice home away from home, away from home ^^ If ur gonna spring for a room off-Broadway (ie not gonna drop $800+ for a room) then The Time is an adequate alternative. Can you say "Business Expense!"