I recently stayed at the 414 in order to attend a conference at CUNY in Harlem. The 414 was close to the #1 subway train that travel to and from that area, but I also chose the hotel based on its excellent location in Midtown Manhattan near great restaurants, theaters, and Times Square.

I arrived around 12 PM, and although I wasn't able to secure an early check-in, the friendly front desk staff assured me that I could leave my suitcase and someone would take it to my room for me. This was actually a great service, as my suitcase was large and heavy, the stairwell was narrow, and it was three flights up to my room on the fourth floor.

When I returned a few hours later, my suitcase was indeed in my room as promised. The room itself looked as if it was recently renovated, with a nice large bed, flat screen TV on the wall, and photographs of NY around the room.

There were some small issues with the room. There was a little water damage on the ceiling of the room, and some of the grout around the tile above the bathtub was dark. I also found the bathroom sink puzzling, as the water turned on regardless of whether you turned the knobs left or right. Since you needed to manipulate both knobs to avoid very hot or cold water, it made getting the water to stop completely a bit of a trick.

To me, these were all very minor inconveniences. I loved my room, especially the comfortable bed. The room felt large enough, and I didn't mind the three flights of stairs one bit even after walking around the city every day. It was also convenient to have WiFi in the hotel, and a computer in the lobby to check email.

While this property is listed as a hotel, it could also be considered a bed and breakfast (the awning of the property actually says bed and breakfast). The breakfast is pretty modest, with croissants, muffins, bagels, cereal, coffee, and juices, and usually one type of fruit, such as bananas. But since it was included in the room price, I was happy with what was provided.

I think where this hotel excels is the quality of its service. I was particularly impressed with Jessica. She was always very friendly and helpful. She called a car for me on my last day that was as cheap as a cab, but was essentially a limo sedan. I was told it would be $33 with tax and tip, but when I arrived at the airport, the driver informed me it was $33 without tip and without a $5 toll. The ride was fast and comfortable, so I didn't mind paying a bit more.

Jessica also helped me print my boarding pass from the hotel, as I was attending a late Broadway performance and had little time to get to the airport once it was over. I felt like she really went above and beyond, especially given the horror stories you hear about rude staff at other hotels.

I really recommend this hotel. My colleagues at my conference discussed a variety of other hotels where they were staying, and I think I had the cheapest rate and the best experience. If you can get by without the elevator, I think its a fantastic place to stay and I'll definitely return to the 414 when I'm back in NY.

Joe Salvatore
South Lyon, MI