The Fifty Sonesta Hotel New York

We haven't been to the Fifty in a few years, and this trip did not disappoint! We were spending a girl's weekend in NYC for my daughter's 18th birthday. From check in with Romeo and Randolph (the best!), to the rooms, to the hospitality...they made our trip even more enjoyable! Thank you to the Fifty and their amazing staff!

Clean and spacious room. Shower pressure could be better. Very comfortable bed and pillows.
Check in staff very friendly but stand out was the doorman Romeo. He's a credit to your hotel.

Location is ok for walking to a lot of places from Time Square upwards. Great cafe to eat a few doors up.

Only negative is the great idea of $10 daily snack allowance is ruined by the cost of the items. $7 for a small juice.

The hotel is average in all aspects. The location is good, can walk or get the subway to most tourist spots. Beds are comfy and towels are fresh. The rooms are a little dusty and grubby in places. The coffee machine smelt so bad of stagnant water we couldn’t use it. The shower worked and was warm. The WiFi is good once you add the password in. On demand movies are $25 each. You pay a service change of $40 per day - which adds up to a lot! They say you get $10 a day to use in the shop, but a kitkat is $7 and a bottle of pop is $8 so you do not get a lot. We were in a room on 3 rd floor. The room had a view of a generator from another building that was so loud it kept us awake most nights. We were also by the lifts that ding constantly through the night. Anywhere else this would be a 2-3 star hotel, not a 4. The rooms were spacious enough. No hairdryer or iron was in our room.

The hotel is fine. The rooms are clean and the staff are friendly, however the hotel would be a 2 star anywhere outside of NYC and it shows. The furniture in the room is beat up and feels random and the soundproofing is non-existent, you will hear every conversation and door close in the hallway.

I originally arrived at 2 pm and was told no rooms were ready yet, they offered to hold my luggage so it worked out. I returned around 7 and was told they only had a room available on the second floor because they were over sold. It was disappointing given I had arrived earlier but it was what it was. When I entered my room there were no sheets on the bed, I went back to the front desk and they moved me to a new room, also on the second floor. The room was a handicapped room with an odd bathroom setup, large space oddly small shower and vanity despite the extra space.

I had a colleague check in after me later in the evening, same room type, same rate, but they were given a room on the 12th floor. I’m not sure how that was possible given what I was told at check-in.

The mattress was tired and the pillows were terrible. All in all, the hotel was fine but it was not great. I would not willingly choose this hotel nor would I recommend it to others.

That said, the location is excellent.,

This was our 5th trip to NYC and the 5th hotel we have stayed in and this is the first hotel where I have felt the staff genuinely cared. The staff are what make this place, they were all lovely and friendly. Not just the reception staff and doormen who you come into contact with regularly but staff you would bump into in the lift just going about their jobs - all friendly/chatty!
It was our daughters 21st birthday and we had asked British airways to make a note of it, they didn't! Anyway on checking in, we mentioned it to the person on reception and he could not have been lovelier - our daughter got to choose anything she wanted from their shop :-)
Location of the hotel was perfect for us. A couple of subway stations a short walk away were very handy. Very walkable to places of interest. Felt very safe in this area.
Lots of food choices everywhere and if you don't fancy breakfast in the hotel (we didn't try) there is a typical NYC diner type place a few doors down (New York Luncheonette).
Room was big with a little kitchenette with hob, fridge, coffee maker and oven. Perfect if travelling with kids/family.
Room was clean, as was bathroom. Shower wasn't the most powerful but the water was hot and plentiful. Enough towels for us all.
We had 2 large beds plus the sofa bed made up for us. Still plenty of room to walk around the room (we had 3 large suitcases too).
Beds were comfortable - I notoriously do not sleep on the first night in hotels and I did here! Black out blinds and curtains. This is the middle of NYC so you have to expect sirens but didn't wake me up. We all slept really well for the 4 nights we stayed.
The hotel is a little tired in places but I can overlook all of that because the staff really are just so friendly. Nothing felt too much trouble and the 2 doormen were exceptional, a real credit.
Having stayed in 5 NYC hotels over the years, if we go back, we would be very happy to stay here. I can't say that about the other 4!

The hotel staff was very friendly, and we could not have picked a better location. We were a short walk from Rockefeller Center, 5th Ave. and great restaurants.

It was our first time in America. We were conflicted - I won't go into that - but wanted to enjoy New York as much as possible. 50 Sonesta was the best start.
A neat, delightful hotel right in Manhattan with cheerful employees (maybe the Christmas season helped?)
Place was spic and span with a 24 hour gym on the 2nd floor. Our room overlooked the extremely busy city and other towers. So it was great to see the contrast during "Thanksgiving".
The staff were amazing. Met M (cannot remember the spelling) the porter with the earwarmers, Sammy ( a bubbly porter), the taller one from Eastern Europe, the dapper African American, the sneezing Chinese lady, I could go on all day. I felt at home. Spoke to all the cleaners. Shared stories.Made memories.

Point is if you are considering, just go ahead and book 50 Sonesta, you will not regret it.
A Family with a "rambunctious" baby as she was described.

Perhaps there was something particularly bad about the room I was in, but there were a lot of issues.

In the hallway they are auto-spraying some sort of scented air freshener, which makes me suspicious that they are trying to hide the scent of mold. I’ve never seen another hotel do that.

The thermostat is wildly wrong. It said it was 66 degrees in the room when it was about 76, meaning it turned on the heat and kept it running when the room was already quite hot.

The way the knobs work in the shower is wildly confusing. You actually have to force one handle _over_ another to fully turn on the shower. The temperature control is extremely confusing (and I have stayed in lots of hotels, so I’m not a newbie to this). Plus the shower head was slimy to the touch and sprayed water in semi-random directions. I also think the exhaust fan in the room isn’t working.

The TV says you can select “Menu” to see hotel amenities or watch movies, but neither the Menu nor the Guide work—they just say “Not Available” when you press them.

The towel rack was halfway falling off the wall, in my bathroom.

The bathroom is pretty tiny, too.

These are all just things I discovered in the first day I was in the hotel.

On the plus side, the room is pretty spacious for a NYC hotel. The bed is nice. The lobby is beautiful and the staff are friendly.

A lovely hotel, rooms spotless, customer service amazing, especially Romeo and the lady on reception( didn’t get her name) , staff so helpful and polite.
Now for the negative part, been home almost a month and like other people on here still haven’t received our deposit back, despite emailing twice requesting this.
Come on Sonesta this is spoiling your reviews!!!

I just returned to Los Angeles after another great stay at a Sonesta hotel. I so enjoyed the Garden Sonesta on E. 64th St. for two amazing visits to New York City in the past year. But my travel plans were focused more midtown this time, as I had two weddings to go to. One was in Brooklyn and one was in Queens. My travel agent told me she has another client who ALWAYS stays at the Fifty Sonesta and that I’d like it too. She knows that I’m very particular.
The Fifty Sonesta was perfectly located down the street from the midtown tunnel - allowing me to get to Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, Greenpoint, and Queens quickly, inexpensively, and happily. Relatives staying on the Upper West Side spent $90 and over an hour getting to the rehearsal dinner and it took me 15 minutes.
The staff at the Fifty Sonesta couldn’t have been nicer. From Marissa at the front desk, to Ibraham, who was there Saturday night, to Simon and Eric- safety and security were their priority. I often consider getting apartment in the city to have did my visits, but Sonesta has hotels with full kitchens and terraces and space to meet with clients. My room was spacious and clean, it had a coffee machine, a refrigerator, and tons of closet space and counter space in the bathroom for all of my things. Both of these Sonesta hotels that I’ve stayed at are close to subways, delicious restaurants, sightseeing, and they’re easy to get a cab or Uber whenever you need one. Even the other guests in the hotel were friendly in the elevators. This hotel even has a laundry room. I noticed on another review that somebody mentioned the laundry so I went down there to see it and it was great. I’m so happy that I found Sonesta hotels because the customer service is top-notch. It’s a great value and it’s very safe.

My review reflects a lot of what others have said. A clean, safe and friendly hotel. Nice rooms and lovely staff. Close to the subway and everything you can possibly need. It would be really nice, however…..

Unfortunately there is one big issue: Deposit.

When you check in, you’re charged $100 per room as a deposit (we had rooms, so charged twice). You’re told not to worry and you’ll receive this back automatically no later than 2 weeks after you leave.

I’m afraid like so many other reviewers, this isn’t the case. I’ve emailed 5 times and written twice via the web form and had only one response - which was a fob off.

Clearly the deposit is actually an extra charge and they probably think most guests forget, and therefore a nice bit of extra margin for the hotel.

My advice - if you budget an extra $100 a room, you won’t notice. But if like me this sort of thing annoys you, it’ll reflect on your impression of the hotel.

We absolutely loved our stay at the Fifty Sonesta. If you’re looking for a hotel that gives you the full New York experience without the chaos, this is it. The location is outstanding – a short walk to Grand Central, Fifth Avenue, and great places to eat, but still calm and relaxed on a quieter street. It really does give you the best of both worlds.

Our room was modern, clean, and very comfortable, with plenty of space which is a real bonus in NYC. Beds were super comfy, the shower was great, and everything felt well looked-after. After long days exploring the city, it was the perfect place to unwind.

Staff were friendly and helpful throughout our stay, and the hotel has a warm, welcoming feel that made us settle in right away. We felt looked-after without being fussed over.

Overall, a fantastic stay and we would happily return. Great value, great location, great hotel. Five stars from us!

Very nice and comfortable hotel, with easy access to New York city. Good food in the restaurant. The sights of New York.well.worth a visit, at least one Broadway show experience is recommended

Lovely Hotel. great helpful friendly staff, and great location with very large rooms. But the big downside was Breakfast. Worst Breakfast I ever had in a Hotel and have stayed in Hotels across 50 countries. The only hot food was powdery scrambled egg that caused me stomach upset. There was nothing but stale pastries with the croissant being especially bad. This is the only negative thing about the hotel besides the high prices (standard for NYC midtown). I would stay here again but I recommend going to McDonald's for a quick bite, ESS Bagel for the best bagels I ever had or Rosemary's across the road for Brunch.

The hotel staff was beyond amazing. The rooms need to be updated and better cared for. Its time for a refresh for sure

This hotel was very loud to stay at, compared to other hotels in midtown all night long i heard sirens and box trucks from the 8th floor.

We had a wonderful 6 night stay in a roomy queen studio at the Fifty Sonesta. The studio included a kitchenette that was well stocked with plates/utensils, microwave, dishwasher, coffee maker, toaster and small refrigerator. The queen studio had a small balcony. The beds were very comfortable. I noticed that the hotel photos show the rooms with carpeting. Our studio had hardwood (engineered) throughout. The three elevators were speedy and always available. Filtered water is available in the 2nd floor gym to refill your water bottle. They also offer $10 per day per room to use toward your choice of snacks/drinks, a surprising and appreciated treat. We love the midtown location and a subway entrance is just a block away. All the staff were pleasant and helpful. Lastly Romeo their doorman will start and end your day on a high note.

Friendly staff and large sized room. Excellent location - we walked to so much.

My first time staying in NYC, definitely will stay at this hotel next time I visit. Staff were nice and supportive!

Loved this hotel! Marissa and Muhammad made me feel at home and provided great customer service. I come to NY often for work and this was my first time at this hotel but I will definitely be back. The room was great and the location is prime. Great restaurants on every block by the hotel.