Review The Parker Meridien New York

I chose the Parker Meridien for a weekend trip to NYC in March. Its location on West 56th between 6th and 7th Ave. made it ideal for shopping, dining, and theater going. The lobby is stylish; and the surprising burger smell wafting through the lobby was a hit for meat eaters like us. The "hidden" Burger Joint serves up burgers and fries for those-in-the-know all day long.   Norma's has a delicious breakfast with french press coffee I'm still trying to recreate and applewood smoked bacon that's so thick and tasty it rivals my favorite served at the Kimpton hotels. Our bill for breakfast each morning topped the $100 mark, so keep that in mind when you're budgeting.

Our room was spacious and way beyond New York standards. The two oversized twin beds and pull out sofa worked well for our party of four. It was a challenge to find a reasonably priced room with much space at all for four. The Parker Meridian's junior suite had two televisions, an eating area and a reasonably sized bathroom.

The rooftop pool had amazing views of Central Park and is open most of the day giving you a chance to take a dip after a long day of wondering around the city.

The shot glasses in the bathrooms were a nice touch, as were the Peter Thomas Roth products:

I'd recommend a stay at the Parker Meridien mostly for its location and style. My only reservation would be the extra charges like $10 for the toothbrush I forgot (hint: there's a Duane Reade across the street); $6 for each of the wine glasses I asked to be sent to the room (I've always tipped on the service; but haven't been charged for using wine glasses before); and the WiFi charges of $12/hour in the lobby or $16/day in your room is always a pet peeve of ours.

If you're curious to check it out yourself, they're offering specials starting in the $300 range. Happy travels!