I recently stayed at the W Downtown New York City. The W NYC Hotel is roughly a $50 taxi ride from LaGuardia Airport and is situated in the Financial District on the southern tip of Manhattan. It was constructed in 2010 and is across the street from the 9/11 Memorial and the new One World Trade Center. My rate during the week was $258 a night and I noticed weekend rates can be below $200 depending on when you book. That might seem high but it is a steal compared to some properties in the city. Downtown Manhattan is quiet on the evenings but it can be a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city.

 

W NYC Hotel

 

Check-in is on the 5th floor and you will have to take two elevators to get to your room. The lobby has trendy lighting and also a bar which features a wrap around outside patio. There was a live band in the evenings during my stay and the bar appeared to be a very lively place.

 

W NYC hotel downtown
5th Floor Lobby Check-in / Bar with Patio

 

At check-in as a Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum I was upgraded to a “Cool Corner Room” and chose breakfast as my Platinum amenity. The Platinum breakfast was served at the 1st floor BLT Grill and consisted of pastries/yogurt as well as fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee. For $5 you can upgrade to a full breakfast with eggs, bacon/sausage, and breakfast potatoes.

It is a little annoying to take two elevators every time to get up to your room, but this is similar to many other Manhattan hotels such as the W Times Square.

 

W NYC Hotel
5th Floor Elevator

 

My room was located on the northwest section of the 7th floor of the 14 story hotel. The W tower itself is 57 stories but is mostly comprised of condo units above the hotel. While my view was very good I'd request a higher floor if available.

 

Thrifty Traveler W Downtown NYC
7th Floor Hallway

 

The hallways are very trendy and did not seem dated. A majority of the rooms are north facing towards the World Trade Center site so you should have a great view no matter which room you stay in.

 

W NYC Hotel
7th Floor Cool Corner Room with a view of One World Trade Center

 

The room was large for NYC standards at around 400 square feet and offered a panoramic view of downtown Manhattan. The room has a newer clock radio that has the new lightening charging dock for the iPhone 5/6. This is the first time I've seen the lightning charging dock in a hotel room. The room also had a desk built into the far wall.

 

W NYC Hotel

 

The bathroom was decent sized and comparable to other W Hotels. The brown tile was a bit odd and looked like it must be a pain to keep clean. The shower was larger than average.

 

W NYC Hotel

 

All W Hotels feature Bliss bath products which I'm not going to lie smell fantastic. The W Downtown New York does not feature a Bliss Spa, which is only available at the W on Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.

 

W Downtown New York Cool Corner
Shower with Bliss Bath products

 

My morning view from my room was phenomenal and you could see the two pools of the 9/11 Memorial as well as the many new World Trade Center buildings. The treed area is the memorial and it is open from 7:30am to 9pm. It is free and there is no entrance as it is basically a park. The Museum has slightly different hours and charges $24. Make sure to also visit the new World Trade Center Observatory while you in the area. It was the highlight of my visit.

 

W Downtown NYC Thrifty Traveler
7th Floor Room View of One WTC and 9/11 Memorial

 

The 4th floor FIT gym is small but has free weights up to 50 lbs, a punching bag, and various other machines. They have fresh apples and water on-site as well. The gym had everything I needed and was not busy during my stay.

 

Thrifty Traveler W NYC Downtown Gym
4th Floor FIT Gym

 

It is quiet in the evenings around the W but there are plenty of places to eat. If you are looking for a quick bite and some brews I would definitely recommend Clinton Hall which is a block away. It is usually lively in the evenings no matter which day of the week.

If you are looking to get out and explore the rest of the city the 1,N, R, 4, and 5 trains are only a block or two away and make getting anywhere in the city a breeze. Overall, I enjoyed staying at the W Downtown New York and have added it to my shortlist of hotels for future stays in NYC. It is very accessible from the rest of Manhattan, slightly quieter if that's what you're looking for, and you can snag some great rates if the timing is right.