Luxury, Good Food, And Great Views At New York's Millenium Hilton

You'd be hard-pressed to find a hotel in New York that offers views as insanely stunning as well as accommodations as surprisingly affordable as the Millenium Hilton, located in Downtown New York. We recently had the opportunity to spend the evening at the hotel and dine at the hotel's restaurant, Church & Dey, and would strongly recommend the hotel to anyone planning a trip to New York.

The 55-story hotel was the first hotel to open in Lower Manhattan in more than a century when it opened to the public in 1992, and renovations since then have kept the hotel in top-of-the-line shape (the most recent was in 2012). It's one of the few hotels in New York to offer an indoor swimming pool, and its gym and business center are state of the art. There are 471 guest rooms and 98 suites; our corner junior suite offered a separate bedroom and stunning and unimpeded views to the west and north, including the World Trade Center site right across the street (when all the construction there is done, this hotel will anchor the massive complex). Rooms are comfortably appointed, but the views, which are truly spectacular, are a real draw. And with rooms starting at just $149, this hotel is a steal.

light bites, as well as the attached restaurant, Church & Dey. It's a modest space with comfortable seating overlooking the adjacent Santiago Calatrava-designed transportation hub, an architectural marvel that's set to open later this year. The restaurant's menu offers salads, sandwiches, small plates, burgers, and main dishes, and is a good option for those looking to stay in the hotel for dinner instead of venturing out into the city. Margarita pizza is crisp and large enough to feed two; the 50/50 Caesar salad, made with half kale and half romaine, was ample and nicely dressed. A grilled New York strip steak was served with nicely roasted Yukon Gold potatoes and garlicky spinach, and was flavorful if slightly overcooked. Ancho-honey roasted chicken was juicy and glazed with a flavorful sauce that caramelized on the grill, but corn nuts and pre-sliced avocado were probably unnecessary additions. Molten chocolate cake ended the meal on a sweet note. Hotel restaurants are always tricky propositions, but this one does the best it can with presumably limited resources and turns out a satisfying and tasty meal.

The Millenium is a landmark hotel, and a Downtown institution. It's a spacious and comfortable place to stay, and its pool and restaurant (which also offers a great buffet breakfast) are very pleasant surprises. It's well-run, well-appointed, and reasonably-priced, and we'd highly suggest you consider staying there during your next New York trip.