Steps from Broadway, the Hilton Garden Inn New York/Central Park South-Midtown West is a comfortable hotel in the heart of New York City's Theatre District in Midtown Manhattan. Although hotels in NYC are pricey, guests can often score a deal at this hotel which offers modern features, wheelchair accessible hotel rooms and a comfortable space to call home.
The hotel features 401 modern and functional guest rooms, together with amenities that include an on-site steakhouse, fitness center and complimentary WiFi. Although there are other NYC hotels with more spacious rooms and increased accessibility, this hotel will still meet the needs of many wheelchair travelers.
Room Rates & Reservations
The cost of a hotel room at the Hilton Garden Inn (and across the board in New York City) varies considerably, with typical room rates ranging from approximately $150 to more than $500 per night over the next year, inclusive of taxes.
The hotel's excellent location leads to high prices in the summer and fall, especially, but tourists can secure lower rates during the winter and in shoulder seasons. Travelers are encouraged to book early to take advantage of the lowest rates at this wheelchair accessible hotel.
Room reservations for wheelchair accessible hotel rooms can be made via the Hilton Hotels website.
Wheelchair Accessible Hotel Room at Hilton Garden Inn NYC
My “1 King Mobility/Hearing Accessible Roll-in Shower” room was the cheapest available and it was cramped! The ninth-floor guest room (number 901) required some trade-offs, including the fact that wheelchair access was only possible on the right side of the bed. The space between the bed and wall on the left side was far too narrow to accommodate my wheelchair.
The king size bed was comfortable and I slept well during what was a two-night stay. The bed height was 25 inches measured from the floor to the top of the mattress, with 8 inches of clearance underneath.
Lighting controls, power outlets, USB ports and a wireless phone charger were found directly alongside the bed and above the nightstand. This made charging my power wheelchair convenient!
On the wall opposite the bed was a wall-mounted television, desk and chest of drawers. The desk was 30 inches high, with 28 inches of clearance below.
Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom with Roll-in Shower at Hilton Garden Inn NYC
The bathroom was well-appointed and included most of the accessibility features that I needed to feel safe and secure.
The bathroom featured a roll under sink with an easy-to-operate faucet. The sink measured 32 inches high, with 25.25 inches of clearance below.
An adjacent toilet, measuring 17.5 inches from floor to seat, was surrounded by grab bars that measured 38 inches tall. There was unfortunately no space to park my wheelchair directly alongside the toilet for a safe lateral transfer, so I had to transfer at an angle onto the front of the toilet.
The roll-in shower was easy enough to use, with a wall mounted shower seat that measured 18 inches wide and had a depth of 14.5 inches. It was affixed at a height of 17.75 inches above the floor. The seat was set 5.5 inches from the back wall, so there was a small gap to contend with.
A handheld shower head and water controls were within reach of the seat, and grab bars were placed on the back and side wall at a height of 38.55 inches.
The body wash, shampoo and conditioner products were provided from dispensers attached to the side wall opposite the seat, making them out of reach. I could have called housekeeping to remove them from their wall mounts (doing so requires a key), but I forgot and ultimately had to dispense product into plastic cups.
One potential accessibility challenge is a narrow doorway to access the bathroom — the width was just 27 inches and, although it did not negatively impact me, some wheelchair users may not have fit. There were scrape marks visible on the wall and sliding door where other wheelchairs had impacted them. Guests could ask hotel maintenance to remove the sliding bathroom door, which would widen the doorway clearance to 33 inches.
Location & Transportation
The hotel's location was exceptional — just over a block from the Ed Sullivan Theater (where the Late Show with Stephen Colbert is filmed) on Broadway and only a few blocks from Fifth Avenue, I found myself close to many of my favorite NYC attractions.
Numerous city bus lines stop within a couple blocks of the hotel and the wheelchair accessible 57th St-7th Ave subway station is served by lines N, Q, R and W. Numerous other accessible subway stations are nearby, making this hotel very convenient to access via public transit. Wheelchair accessible taxis, UberWAV and Lyft Access rides are also easy to come by!
Final Thoughts
Although accessibility at the Hilton Garden Inn New York/Central Park South-Midtown West is not perfect, the hotel did meet the majority of my accessibility needs and I would feel comfortable staying there again — if the price is right! Location is everything in New York City and, following accessibility and affordability, should be your top consideration when selecting a hotel in the Big Apple.
