Big Apple Family Hotel

A one-bedroom suite at the Hotel Beacon. (c) Hotel Beacon

Fresh from a trip to New York City, our family has given the stamp of approval to the Hotel Beacon, an ideal home-base on the upper West Side. Not only does it provide amenities and services perfect for parents and kids traveling together, but it’s conveniently located near some of the city’s most appealing across-the-ages activities and attractions.

Let’s start with one of the Hotel Beacon’s biggest selling points. All 260 rooms and suites come with fully-equipped kitchenettes as well as dishes, glasses, cutlery, pots and pans, a toaster, teakettle, coffeemaker, microwave, refrigerator and complimentary tea and coffee. It’s easy for families to stock up and enjoy some of their meals and snacks in their room, saving a bundle on food expenses. Fairway Market — a big, bustling grocery store with everything a family needs during vacation — is located right across the street from the hotel, as is the more upscale Citarella Market. For families with gourmet tastes, the famed Zabar’s awaits five blocks to the north.

Recently renovated, the Hotel Beacon opened in 1929, and today it offers much larger guest accommodations than the typical New York City digs. We stayed in one of the hotel’s 116 one-bedroom suites holding up to four people, and we had plenty of space among us. These one-bedroom suites come with either two double beds or one king or queen bed in the bedroom, and a separate living room with a pull-out sofa. With two televisions, mom and dad can watch what they want while the kids tune into something else.

The Hotel Beacon also features eight two-bedroom suites. One bedroom has a king bed; the other bedroom has two double beds. There’s a pull-out sofa bed in the living room and two bathrooms to serve the gang. Maximum occupancy is six adults or a family of eight if the children are under 12 years. Another plus: the two-bedroom suites come with three televisions.

Rounding out the Hotel Beacon inventory are 130 standard rooms, 64 of which have two double beds. There is no charge for up to two children under 12 years sharing a double/double room with parents. Baby cribs are available on request at no charge. Families can pack a little lighter knowing that the hotel has a coin-operated laundry available to guests.

Family-Friendly Location
Location-wise, families can’t do much better than the Hotel Beacon. It’s situated on 75th Street three blocks west of Central Park, two blocks east of Riverside Park and four blocks from the American Museum of Natural History and Rose Center for Earth and Space, all great places for multigenerational enjoyment. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan — teeming with literature, science, media and art exhibits and other youthful programs — is an easy walk. One block away, a subway stop provides easy access to other fun family attractions, from Rockefeller Center to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The neighborhood surrounding the Hotel Beacon sports a friendly residential feeling. Many of the area streets boast big shady trees and attractive brownstones. Each block brings inviting little eateries and markets, from the familiar — like the Starbucks across the street — to uniquely New York draws like H&H Bagels, five blocks away.

When it’s time for entertainment, the Hotel Beacon snuggles up to the Beacon Theatre, owned by the hotel and managed by Madison Square Garden. The beautifully-restored entertainment venue often presents family-friendly shows. Ten minutes away by foot is Lincoln Center, alive with theatrical productions, concerts, street fairs, flea markets and other amusements for all ages.

After our satisfying experience at the Hotel Beacon, I can heartily recommend it to families heading to New York City. Who knows? It may just become our home-away-from-home in the Big Apple.

Contact

Hotel Beacon
2130 Broadway (at 75th St.)
New York, NY 10023
800-572-4969
www.beaconhotel.com
Web Special: For visits from July 1-Sept. 7, double rooms are available for $205 per night, with one-bedroom suites from $235.

For More Info

NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, has opened a new state-of-the-art visitor center. There, families can find free brochures, discount coupons to attractions and theaters, multilingual visitor information counselors, information kiosks, ticketing for attractions, an American Express customer service area, ATM and giant Kodak multimedia wall display. Check out the interactive map tables, so easy that a kid can use them.
NYC Visitor Information Center
810 Seventh Ave. (between 52nd and 53rd streets)
www.nycgo.com