Central Park South is a five-star spot to lay your head. There’s The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, The Plaza and the Park Hyatt New York all in that area, to name a few. And those are some hard-to-beat names with fancy price tags to match. However, there’s one hotel in the area where you can shave off measurable points or dollars from the price tag without trading away location: Thompson Central Park New York.
Quick take
First opened by this name in 2021, Thompson Central Park New York (the former Parker New York) sits in a prime midtown location within a few blocks of Central Park, Times Square and the theaters of Broadway, making it great for both tourists and frequent visitors.
World of Hyatt elite status members are well recognized at this property. Suite upgrades seem common for Hyatt Globalists in our three test visits and the included Globalist breakfast is indeed something to write home about.
Getting there
The Thompson Central Park New York is in the heart of midtown, on 56th Street between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue. In a few minutes, you can walk to it from the 57th Street subway station, a handy transit point for the N, Q, R and W trains. Depending on traffic, it’s about 30 minutes by car from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and roughly an hour from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
For the latter, you can expect to pay between $52 and $60 to get to the hotel, depending on whether you hail a ride or take a cab. If you have a little more time to spare and want to save money, take the AirTrain at JFK to Jamaica Center and then ride the E subway line to Seventh Avenue/53rd Street; this option will only cost you $10.50.
Booking details
Don’t expect any outright bargains at this new 587-room property — but compared to some neighbors, it can be a less painful choice on your wallet. Standard room rates seem to start around $400 per night with cash or 21,000 points if paying with World of Hyatt points.
Taxes and fees, including a pesky destination fee — levied for what should be inclusions, such as premium Wi-Fi, fitness center access, long-distance phone calls and one bottle of water — add more than $50 per night if saying on cash.
Fortunately, the pet-friendly hotel is an excellent place to redeem points. It’s also a top spot if you’re looking to use a Hyatt Category 1-7 award in New York. You’ll pay as few as 21,000 World of Hyatt points per night for a standard room at this Category 6 property. That results in a value of more than 2 cents per point on many dates, which is above TPG’s current valuation of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each. Plus, the destination fee is waived for award redemptions.
You could snag a free night there with the World of Hyatt Credit Card by earning up to 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and up to 30,000 more bonus points by earning 2 bonus points total per $1 spent in the first six months, on up to $15,000 spent.
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Standout features
- A triple-threat location thanks to its proximity to a multiline subway stop, Central Park and some of the Big Apple’s most popular attractions, such as Broadway theaters, Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall.
- Spacious suites with clever swiveling TVs and 400-thread-count Italian bed linens.
- Excellent perks for elite members, including generous complimentary upgrades and a delicious full breakfast.
- Step-free accessibility, wide entrances and plenty of space to maneuver throughout the property.
Related: These are our favorite New York City hotels
Drawbacks
- Sparse lobby with limited places to sit in the event you need to kill time waiting for check-in or your ride to pick you up.
- On-site food options are either expensive (Parker’s) or very busy (Burger Joint).
- The hotel charges a pesky $35 destination fee on cash stays that doesn’t convey very much value.
- While the upper floors (known as Upper Stories) do have their own lounge and upgraded look, they are not eligible for Hyatt upgrades.
The vibe
Thompson Central Park is a quiet, sophisticated escape from the flurry of activity and noise on the streets around it. Its location in midtown Manhattan is appealing to both first-time visitors to New York and those who are already familiar with the city but want to enjoy nearby activities and destinations such as Central Park or even the Broadway shows near Times Square.
There is a modern, dark, moody and spacious lobby, which features soaring, 36-foot-high ceilings, and a palette of beige and brown with pops of color thanks to bright artwork thoughtfully hung throughout the ground floor, along with the dramatic red curtain that is “hiding” a popular burger joint.
While the overall design is dark and peaceful, ideal for guests seeking respite from the energy of nearby Times Square, there is a potential shortage of places to sit for guests needing a place to pass the time.
The room
In all three “test” stays done by TPG staff with Globalist status, a standard room booking has been upgraded to a 450-square-foot studio king suite, which is pretty palatial by my normal Manhattan hotel standards.
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BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
The dark wood floors contrasted nicely with the white walls and ceilings and all the gold accents throughout. The “kitchen” area has a breakfast bar with stools that were comfortable enough to work at for a morning. And the full-size green crushed-velvet sofa was comfortable for watching TV or having a guest over for a pre-dinner cocktail.
The mirror-backed swiveling TV was as practical as it was stylish, allowing for easy TV viewing from the sofa or the bed. The king-size bed, dressed in 400-thread-count Italian linens, was like sinking into a cloud.
Despite its proximity to Central Park, most of the hotel’s rooms don’t really provide a look at the park, as the skyscrapers to the north battle each other for those million-dollar views. The grimy, south-facing windows of my room didn’t offer much of a view other than into apartments and offices across 56th Street.
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BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
The bathroom, like the rest of the room, was spacious enough, though it only featured a single vanity. The walk-in shower was a joy to start the day in, with dual showerheads and toiletries by Brooklyn-based D.S. & Durga. The cheeky message on the washcloth, “take it off,” seemed at odds with the restrained luxury of the rest of the room, which generally felt more on par with what you’d find at a Waldorf Astoria.
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BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
Related: The best New York City hotels for families
Food and drink
During our late 2021 stay, while the hotel was finishing some of the final opening phases, room service breakfast was included for Hyatt Globalists. The steak and eggs were perfectly cooked, and the mini ketchup and mayonnaise bottles were a cute touch. The cappuccino arrived wrapped in plastic but tasted perfect, even to someone who is fussy about Italian-style coffee.
On our subsequent 2022 and early 2023 stays, the Globalist room service option was not mentioned, so it’s possible that was an oversight, or it’s possible that with the restaurant now fully operational, that’s the current location to cash in your Globalist perks to start the day.
Speaking of which, the avocado toast, crispy French toast and fruit bowl in Parker’s are all absolutely mouthwatering. If paying with cash, each is $20-$30 (yes, even the fruit bowl), so budget accordingly, but it’s a decadent and indulgent breakfast with excellent service for sure.
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SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
There is an unexpected but reportedly excellent “hidden” Burger Joint next to the reception area. It feels potentially out of place unless viewed through the lens that the Thompson brand’s goal is to meld luxury stays with authentic urban, local experiences. During meal times, there is often a line stretching down the hallway to get in, so try to eat during off-hours or prepare for a wait.
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SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Amenities and service
There is a solid range of aerobic equipment in the hotel’s fitness center for those looking to keep up their workouts during a stay. Next door to the gym was a nail salon and hairdresser, though they looked like they belonged in a shopping mall instead of a luxury spa. Unfortunately, there was no swimming pool at this property.
Service here is often quite proactive, including the doorman offering immediately to help with bags, prompt help with converting the sofa bed when asked and attentive service at the restaurant.
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BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
Out and about
The convenience of being a five-minute walk from Central Park and close to Billionaires’ Row is fantastic. When you’re out exploring, odds are you may spot some of Manhattan’s uber-wealthy elite. You can easily grab some takeaway lunch from one of the various street vendors near Central Park’s entrance (try halal lamb over rice) to enjoy the park and people-watching. For something fancier, nearby La Grande Boucherie offers a gorgeous Paris-inspired atrium for ventilated dining.
Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center (with its dreamy, festive ice rink in the winter and roller skating rink in the warmer months) and the Museum of Modern Art are also mere blocks away.
Accessibility
The hotel is excellent for accessibility, with no steps spotted during the entirety of our stays.
The entrance, lobby and halls are wide and spacious, creating an accessible route that extends from the public entry to the guest rooms. Though the gym is located on a lower level reachable through a separate entrance next door, it’s connected by an easy-to-access elevator.
Checking out
Thompson Central Park is the perfect choice when you want a nice, full-service hotel in a five-star location but don’t need or want the over-the-top luxury of, say, the Park Hyatt or St. Regis New York. On the flip side, if this is still more in price and amenities than you need, then check out the Grayson, bookable from 17,000 World of Hyatt points.
But as far as Thompson Central Park goes, the rooms are well designed and comfortable, the Hyatt Globalist perks and breakfast are fantastic, and the brilliant location makes it a great addition to New York’s competitive luxury hotel scene.
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