A classic New York hotel on the Upper West Side with spacious rooms and stunning views. Here are six reasons why I think the Beacon Hotel is the best choice for a family stay in New York.

I have stayed in my fair share of hotels in Manhattan over many visits. I have stayed in the Beacon hotel twice now, once when I was Christmas shopping with my girlfriends, and recently in the Summer with my family. I loved the Beacon Hotel first time I visited and thought it would be an ideal choice for our family stay in New York. My theory proved right – here are six reasons why.

1. The rooms are huge!

Unlike most of the hotels in New York, the rooms in the Beacon Hotel are very spacious and all come with a kitchenette. I can’t stress the importance of having a kitchenette in New York, particularly for European visitors – the time difference is a killer! There is a great supermarket across the road from The Beacon Hotel and I usually pick up staples like bread and milk when I arrive.
 

 
There are also some cool New York delis on the Upper West Side so if you want to live like a local, you can do that too! No matter how late I go to bed, every time I visit New York I wake at 4am the first morning, because of the five hour time difference between Ireland and New York. Of course I try to go back asleep and sometimes I am successful, but inevitably I will be dressed and ready to explore the city by 7am! I usually make tea and toast and plan my day in the early hours.

 

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The same thing happened during our recent family stay in New York. Lo and behold I was awake at 4am – and so were the kids! The kitchenette was a Godsend. Not only did we use it each morning, but on our second night we stayed in and ordered pizza. We had a long day exploring New York and were exhausted by 6pm, it was great to be able to stay in and relax.
 

 
We stayed in a one bedroom suite, which was ideal with children. There are two double beds in the bedroom as well as a large sitting area with a fold out double sofa bed. The sitting room is very spacious and has a dining table and four chairs, as well as the all important kitchenette. Check out this short video of our room here.

Read: 12 things to do in New York with kids
 

2. The location is superb.

Location, location, location, the three most important words when planning a trip to New York. There are so many  different locations to choose from. Some people prefer to be close to Times Square, others like Soho but personally I think it is hard to beat the Upper West Side, particularly for a family stay in New York. 

 

Came across John Lennon’s memorial by chance as we walked through @centralparknyc this morning. Love Central Park, especially in the Summer time. There is so much hype about the High Line (don’t honestly see why) but give me Central Park any day! We had brunch in the Boathouse which was fab – a must visit in NYC – check it out on my stories 👆 . . . . . #johnlennon #johnlennonmemorial #imaginecircle #peace #strawberryfields #strawberryfieldsforever #centralpark #newyork #newyorkcity #parklife #park #outdoors #citypark #newyork_instagram #newyorknewyork #newyorkphoto #citiesoftheworld #instacity #instatravel #travelblogger #travelpics #iphonepic @nycgo_press @nycgo

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It is quieter than some of the other areas and feels very safe walking around, even at night time. We walked to Central Park, which is only ten minute walk away, which was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city.
 

 
We walked to Times Square on the day we arrived which took about 30 minutes and used the the Subway the following day to go down to the World Trade Centre. The whole journey took about 15 minutes and only cost $2.35 return! There really is no need to use taxis if you are staying in the Beacon Hotel, you can walk or use the Subway to get to almost anywhere.

 

Love riding the subway in #newyork 🚇 Its the cheapest and fastest way to get around and you almost feel like a #newyorker – well except when you get the camera out 😆 . . . . . #newyork #newyorkcity #newyork_instagram #newyorknewyork #newyorkphoto #citiesoftheworld #cityscape #cityview #instacity #instatravel #travelblogger #travelpics #familytime #familytravel #travelgram #iphonepic #timessquare #ilovenewyork #iloveny #subwayslife #subwayselfie #subwaypic #train #newyorkcitylife #newyorksubway

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3. There are great restaurants close by.

We enjoyed a delicious evening meal in The Ribbon restaurant, which is only a ten minute walk from the Beacon Hotel. If you decide to visit, make sure to have the lobster and shrimp curry! The kids were happy too as there were burgers, ribs and plenty of American dishes on the menu.
 

 
One of the highlights from our family stay in New York was brunch in the Boathouse in Central Park. This is such a cool thing to do on a sunny Sunday morning, especially with kids. If you arrive before 9.30 you should get a table straight away with stunning views of the park and the resident turtles.

4. There are great amenities on site.

The Beacon has everything you need for a family stay in New York. We enjoyed the two hour ‘happy hour’ at the cool Beacon Bar while the kids played happily on their tablets – thankfully all guests enjoy high-speed WiFi, free of charge!  The bar also serves snacks and they even give hotel guests 10% off.
 

 
The in-room kitchenette comes with tea, coffee and creamer, and the bathroom amenities are pretty good too! As well as the usual toiletries there were separate vanity, mending, dental, shoe and shaving kits – they even supply mouth wash! There is a fitness centre and business centre that are open 24/7 – perfect for those early mornings wake ups.

5. The views are stunning!

I never get tired of the New York skyline and love looking at the sunrise and sunset from my bedroom window. Make sure you request a high floor when booking to get the best views.

 

Loved our stay at @thebeaconhotel New York. The one bed suites are so spacious and are ideal for families or a girls shopping trip 🛍 We even stayed in one night and ordered pizza! The views from our bedroom were fab, we saw some amazing sunrises and sunsets. Location is great too, located on the upper west side close to Central Park and we felt very safe walking around, even at night time. Check out my #newyork highlights for full video of the rooms and to see what we got up to in #NYC. . . . . . . #newyorkcity #newyork_instagram #newyorknewyork #newyorkphoto #newyorkskyline #citiesoftheworld #cityscape #cityview #view #roomwithaview #instacity #instatravel #travelblogger #travelpics #familytime #familytravel #beaconhotel #travelgram #iphonepic #hosted #hotelwindow #windowgoals #hotelwindowview #newyorkhotel #newyorkpictures

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6. It is great value for money.

When you consider the location and the size and quality of the rooms, The Beacon Hotel is great value for a family stay in New York. If you book a one bedroom suite, it can easily be shared with a family or a group of friends. There is lots of space for shopping bags, or toys, whatever your pleasure! If you want to save some money, stay in one night and order pizza like we did. The Beacon Hotel also has no resort or facility fees, a rarity these days in New York. 

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Note, I was a guest of the Beacon Hotel during my second visit but was under no obligation to write a review. The Beacon Hotel is a great hotel for a family stay in New York. Go see for yourself!

Sarah