If location is everything in real estate, the Paramount Hotel New York has cornered the market. It is located midway between 7^th and 8^th Avenues on 46th Street, smack in the center of the theater district, surrounded by restaurants and 24/7 Times Square action.

We go to NYC to see as many Broadway Shows as possible, so there is no better place for us to be. We loved being able to get tickets, eat a meal, sightsee, and then pop back to the hotel for some R & R before heading out again to see another show.

The Paramount is a reasonably-priced luxury hotel that is chic, fun, and friendly. In 2009, all 600 guest rooms were renovated with a fresh, contemporary look. Using bold colors and slick surfaces, the rooms have a 21^st Century feel. We loved their zany stainless steel bathroom sinks in the shape of a cone, as in nose-cone from a spaceship. By cleverly popping out the mirror, they created space for your towels in the back. It’s functional hip.

Our room size was more than ample, with large windows along one wall, bathing the room in natural light most of the day. The bed was comfy and covered with soft linens. The down comforters and pillows were plush and lush. Each room has a safe in the closet and a big screen TV on the wall.

Dropping into the hotel at anytime of the day or night, we found lots of activity in the Library Bar and the Mezzanine Restaurant, overlooking the hotel’s stylish lobby. Both eateries are moderately priced and feel more like your favorite neighborhood place than a pricey hotel restaurant. After seeing Memphis, we had a nightcap at Library with some tasty small plates.

The Paramount lobby is a beautiful contrast of the classic and the cool. Retaining the gorgeous bronze elevator doors and coupling them with incredible art deco furnishings was great design. Placing these furnishings on a checkerboard rug adds a touch of panache to an overall slightly dark lighting effect. The open stairway takes you up and away, like in some Alice in Wonderland fantasy.  It’s an eye-catching architectural design that creates a happy mood and style for visiting guests.

There is a Business Center and Fitness Center for those eager to keep in touch and in shape.

If you stay at the Paramount Hotel, you’ll easily be able to make the jaunt from theater-to-restaurant-to-Times Square and back to your hotel without taking any cabs, subways, or buses. That’s a huge savings which you can use to buy even more theater tickets, just as we did.

The variety of restaurants nearby is practically limitless, whether you like expensive, casual, economical, or trendy. A block away is Restaurant Row (45^th Street), which has a slew of interesting places, including restaurants, clubs, and after-hour spots. Joe Allen’s has always been a favorite of theater-goers and cast members alike. There’s Don’t Tell Mama, a club where singers perform non-stop all night. One of our favorite cheap-eats places is just a few doors up from the Paramount, the coffee shop at the Hotel Edison. It’s a step back in time, everything made from scratch at unbelievable prices.

Did we mention location?  The Paramount Hotel is about as convenient as you can get.  And comfortable, too.  Add to that its style and friendly atmosphere, and you have a great place to stay at a great price, right in the midst of where it’s all happening!

Paramount Hotel New York
235 West 46th Street
New York, NY  10036
212.764.5500
www.nycparamount.com