An intimate hotel with just 39 rooms, the Gem Hotel - Midtown West is a 5-minute walk from the Javits Convention Center. The hotel is nestled on a relatively quiet street west of Midtown in a neighborhood sometimes referred to as Hell's Kitchen. Once one of the city's roughest neighborhoods, today's revitalized Hell's Kitchen bears little resemblance to its past or the images conjured by its fiery name. This newly hip neighborhood--also known as Clinton--is now home to renovated brick warehouses and lofts that house theaters, bars, and a diverse selection of restaurants. If you're visiting on a weekend, join the bargain-hunters seeking unique merchandise at the Hell's Kitchen Outdoor Flea Market, 3 blocks north. Parking is available nearby (surcharge).
While the less-trafficked Midtown West location will give you a buffer from the throngs of sightseers swarming central Midtown, the heart of New York City action is less than a 20-minute walk away in Times Square. Surrounding Times Square is the Theatre District, where you can catch Tony Award–winning shows in iconic Broadway theaters. The heart of Manhattan's visual-arts scene can be found just south of the hotel in Chelsea, home to hundreds of galleries showcasing established and up-and-coming artists.
Traveling farther afield? Penn Station, a 10-minute walk from the hotel, provides direct access to the city's extensive subway system. At Madison Square Garden, adjacent to the station, you can catch a Knicks or Rangers game, a championship boxing showdown, or a big-name concert.
When you're ready to bed down for the night, you'll return to a quiet, cleanly designed guestroom. You can plan your next day via complimentary wireless Internet access, available throughout the Gem. Your guestroom also features an LCD TV with Showtime and pay movies. The coffeemaker comes with premium Wolfgang Puck blends, and bottled water is complimentary. The bathroom has some perks you'd find at more-expensive hotels: monogrammed bathrobes and Gilchrist & Soames luxury amenities. Connect your iPod to the docking station, and drift off to your favorite tunes. And you can rest assured: This New York hotel is smoke-free.
