Although this property caters more to the business traveler, it is a good place for the leisure traveler as well. Since it is located so closely to the Ground Zero you will have to weave through some construction, but it is defiantly worth the minor inconvenience. Within walking distance you will find several attractions including, Wall Street, the iron Stock Exchange Bull, the Statue of Liberty Ferry, the Staten Island Ferry, South Street Seaport, Battery Park, and Century 21 Department store. With in a few blocks you will also find several train lines, making getting to other parts of the city fairly simple.
The World Center Hotel opened its doors in the winter of 2010 and I am sure most of you are well aware that you can't beat a brand new hotel. Think of it like a new car, the smell, the cleanliness, the "untouched" vibe you get when you climb inside. The lobby is nicely decorated and welcoming, nothing grand or spectacular. If that's what you are looking for...you will have to look in another price range. Immediately to the left of the lobby are self check-in kiosks with touch screens. This is a highlight for me since I love to see modernness brought into the hospitality industry. Do not be intimidated by the self check-in machines. Can you use an ATM? Well then you can use this machine. It is simple and user friendly. But if you are the sort of person who says "speak with a representative" immediately when using any sort of automated system, have no fear. To the right of the lobby you will find a traditional front desk, staffed with 2 friendly front desk agents. They will even come from behind the desk to assist you with the self check-in, should you want to try your hand at it. You will also find a small lounge to the left of the lobby with complimentary computer access.
The guest room has a fresh clean smell as soon as you open the door. It is a really good size for a Manhattan hotel room. I really like the style of the room, no floral prints and no hideous carpet. It has a modern feel with an efficient, space saving armoire, flat screen TV, and an iPod docking station. I'm not a big fan of putting two smaller beds together to make one large bed, but they are attached at the frame so its not so terrible. The sheets are pretty good tread count, not "scratchy" or 'starchy", nor were the large fluffy pillows. The bathroom is were the "new" factor really comes into play. It's extremely clean. I felt as though I may have been the 1st person, ever, to shower in this room. All the traditional complimentary amenities are included, coffee maker, shampoo & conditioner, hair dryer, iron and ironing board. However, one very important amenity is also complimentary, high speed Internet access. This is another highlight for me, as some hotels charge anywhere from $10 to $20, for in room Internet access. Another New York City hotel rarity is windows that open. Granted they do not open wide, but they open enough to let in a little fresh air.
For me, the coolest thing in this hotel are the complimentary bottled water stations on each floor. Empty plastic bottles are stacked in racks above the filling station. I believe the size is 16 ounces. Just select a bottle, take off the cap, and slide it into place, and the machine fills it with chilled, filtered water. Amazing and complimentary!
In comparison to other hotels in it's price range, I'd give the World Center Hotel an 8.5 out of 10.
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