Hotel Premier

The Premier boasts a prime location in the heart of Midtown Manhattan on West 44th Street. It is right next to Broadway and just a few minutes' walk from Times Square. The Rockefeller Center is only a few blocks away and the shopping districts on Fifth and Madison Avenues can be reached on foot easily. For getting further afield, hop on the metro at one of three stations in the vicinity. JFK airport is 18 miles away, La Guardia 9 miles and Newark 17.

The hotel was initially intended to serve the needs of female travellers, which it still does (well), although men are absolutely welcome in the hotel too! For those females wanting privacy and reassurance, there is a female only floor. Looking rather out of sorts at only four storeys between the Millennium Broadway and the Premier Hotel (also owned by Millennium) is the Hudson Theatre. Opened in 1903 by Henry B. Harris, it has seen some of the most famous names in show business tread its boards such as Bob Hope, Elvis and a then unknown Barbara Streisand. The theatre was the first in New York to enjoy the luxury of electricity and was also the first to be owned by a woman, Harris' wife Renee, after he died in the sinking of the Titanic. Today it is used for conferences and events, although ask a member of staff and you can take a look inside.

The Premier is a towering, all glass building with a stone archway at its entrance. The lobby is very much a relaxed affair with two glass desks acting as the reception and looks brand new with its light wood paneling, shiny marble floor and flawless white painted ceiling. Opposite the reception is a painting which looks like the result of combing a Picasso with a Beryl Cook. The Mezzanine is a lounge reserved for guests only and is a relaxing place to enjoy breakfast, have a meeting or simply relax with a cocktail after having checked your emails on the free for use PCs. The rest of the hotel is absolutely spotless and has a real crisp, natural feel to it to a large extent thanks to the simple plants and clean lines present in the corridors.

Each floor at the Premier has only seven rooms meaning that peace and quiet and discretion are the order of the day. Keeping things simple, the Premier offers only one kind of room, but contains everything one needs for either a business trip (desk with light coming in from behind) or leisure stay (yoga mat). The subtle tones of colour as well as the floor-to-ceiling windows (some great views to be had) ensure that the room has a fresh feel whatever the weather and the light coloured wood paneling seen in the lobby makes an appearance here too. In the room's alcove are a couch and armchair with reading lamp and coffee table as well as a flatscreen television. Other amenities include a minibar, coffeemaker and umbrella. The bathroom is a very good size for a standard room and boasts a bathtub, personalised toiletries and an illuminated vanity one of whose ends is supported by metal pole resting on the edge of the tub. The isolated toilet bowl is quite quirky and the scales are a nice touch. There is one floor of the hotel that is reserved for females only and these rooms boast extras such as bathrobes and slippers, straightening and curling irons and LATHER Spa toiletries in the bathroom.