The Roosevelt Hotel Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Midtown East, Manhattan, New York City

Huge, stunning lobby

Built in 1924, the 1,015-room Roosevelt Hotel boasts a stunning lobby and 30,000 square feet of meeting space. Entering the hotel and walking up a half flight of stairs to the lobby, one is immediately struck by the grandness of it all -- the two-story ceilings, the huge chandelier, the gleaming marble floors, the surrounding balconies. One guest said the lobby reminded her of the Waldorf Astoria, where the rooms tend to cost twice as much.

From 1995 to 1997, the Roosevelt closed for a massive, $65 million renovation. Today the lobby remains spectacular, and a 2012 renovation updated guestrooms to match. The Madison Club Lounge spills out into the lobby and is a popular place for drinks for guests as well as middle-aged locals who work in the area.

A number of major films have shot at the Roosevelt, including Wall Street, Quiz Show, and Maid In Manhattan. It's also been mentioned on the television series Mad Men, with the show's fictional 1960s characters drinking there or spending the night after fighting with the wife.

Doorman at the entrance

• Concierge service, not 24 hours
• 24-hour business center
• 24-hour fitness center
• Valet or self-parking, fee for both
• Wi-Fi access available throughout the hotel, for a fee
• Laundry service
• The hotel will print boarding passes free of charge in the upper level of the lobby

View on a Larger Map

During the day the area is busy as commuting office workers fill the surrounding high-rise buildings. The energy is high but focused. Everyone is trying to get somewhere, be it work, lunch, or an errand, quickly. This is the business, not the pleasure, side of the city. For the most part, it's lacking in the bright lights and tourist groups of Times Square or the colorful characters of downtown.

At night, it closes up. The worker bees head to Grand Central, perhaps grabbing a drink first, and then hop a train or subway home.

The hotel's main entrance on 45th Street is open 24 hours, while another entrance on 44th Street.

The ground floor is occupied with shop tenants ranging from John Allan's, a fancy men's grooming club, to a not-so-fancy wireless phone store. Beyond the hotel's ground floor, additional upscale shops -- including a Lindt chocolate store and a luggage store -- occupy a "shopping promenade" below the lobby.

Guests leaving the hotel can simply cross 45th Street and enter Grand Central through a small (and not clearly marked) entrance. There's also a J.Crew store across the street and a popular place to grab a cheap breakfast or lunch called Blake & Todd.

The Deluxe Room

The hotel completing a massive, multi-million dollar renovation in 2012, updating all 1,015 guest rooms and corridors. Rooms were redesigned to add modern enhancements to classic accommodations with a darker color palette of red and beige walls with gold accents. Decor is classic with historic art work of the hotel's past, and all furniture has been replaced.

• Flat-screen TV with cable and movie channels, including HBO
• Clock radio with iPod dock
• Work desk, even in smallest Cozy room at 150 square feet
• Wi-Fi, for an additional fee
• Room types include the 150-square-foot Cozy rooms, 200-square-foot Superior rooms, and 300-square-foot Deluxe rooms. Suites start at 550 square feet.
• Suites include full kitchens or kitchenettes, and can combine to create two or three bedroom accomidations.
• Room service available through breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Meetings at the Ballroom

• 24-hour business center
• 24-hour fitness center
• WebZone in the lobby, a 24-hour self-service busienss center in the lobby
• Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, for a fee
• On-site gift shops, including cafes, men's and women's fashion and beauty shops, and a Swarovski boutique
• Award winning meeting and event spaces, which include 23 function rooms, two ballrooms, and an on-site audiovisual staff for video conferencing
• Event catering services, separate from on-site restaurants

Though the hotel staff says they welcome kids, the businessy atmosphere and grand, somewhat austere lobby don't feel all that family friendly. But cribs are available at no extra charge, and roll-away beds are available for a nightly fee. A Deluxe room or bigger is needed to accommodate roll-aways, though. Adjoining rooms are also available and can be requested when reserving, but there are no guarantees until arrival.

For guests needing a baby sitter, the concierge provides the number for the Babysitter's Guild, a child-care agency that specializes in out-of-town visitors. At the agency's suggestion, the concierge asks that guests call the Babysitter's Guild directly to schedule service, address any questions, and make sure all are comfortable with the arrangements.

Breakfast buffet at Roosevelt Grill

• The Roosevelt Grill is only for breakfast and has full entrees and a la carte options
• For true MadMen, the Madison Club Lounge is open for coffee in the morning and after-work cocktails in the evening. The lounge also serves small bites, or three-course prix-fixe meals for lunch and dinner, but is more geared toward the cocktail menu. The lounge was renovated in 2012, refurbishing the bar's countertop and decor.
• mad46 is a rooftop lounge, and is only open from April through October
• Vander Bar is equal parts hotel and local spot, with lunch available daily
• Room service is available for breakfast and dinner only

New York has three nearby airports: JFK, La Guardia, and Newark (in New Jersey). Flying into JFK or La Guardia is typically easiest and the least time consuming. From JFK, it's a flat-rate $45 (one-hour) taxi to anywhere in Manhattan. From La Guardia, it's about a $40 (30-minute) metered cab ride to midtown Manhattan. Rides from Newark cost at least $40 (plus tolls) and can take over one-and-a-half hours. Don't forget to tip your driver 15 to 25 percent.

To save some cash, group shuttles are available at all three airports for about $14 per person. For more information on the shuttles, go to Super Shuttle or New York Airport Service. You can also take public transit from any of the airports for as little as $7 per person, but travel times can take up to two hours and involve a lot of lugging bags up and down stairs. For mass-transit directions right to the hotel, check out HopStop.com.