My spouse and I stayed at the Hilton Fashion District on a
Saturday evening in early December 2018. We last stayed at this hotel in July
of 2013; see our review titled “Good
Location for Midtown Sightseeing”. We booked our stay online using the
Hilton website; although we are Hilton HHonors members, we did not receive an
upgrade upon arrival (not even to a higher floor); however, we were able to
check in online the day prior to our stay and choose our room number.
The Hilton Fashion District is located in Midtown in the
Garment District bordering Chelsea, not far from Madison Square Garden/Penn
Station. It provides a convenient location for Times Square sightseeing and
access to various subway lines, bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops. A Whole
Foods grocery store and the Sunac Market are located within one block of the
hotel, in case you need to purchase food, drinks, or forgotten items. The
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and its museum are a half-block away.
The lobby area itself is not large, but still offers a few
places for guests to sit and chat. The decor fits the theme of a Fashion
District hotel, with spools of thread composing an interesting art piece behind
the front desk and mannequins with interesting costumes in the front windows. A
tiny concierge/tour desk is located adjacent to the front door, although it is
not staffed. RARE Bar and Grill is located at one end of the lobby, where
breakfast is served (complimentary for HHonors Gold and Diamond members). The
hotel also features the RARE rooftop bar and lounge, where we joined some
friends for drinks one evening. At night, one elevator is dedicated to whisking
patrons from the lobby to the 23rd floor rooftop. Two additional elevators
access guestrooms on the 2nd to 22nd floors. The hotel has valet and
self-parking for an additional fee, and the garage is located just a few yards
from the hotel entrance. Taxi cabs were plentiful in front of the hotel, and
Uber provides an additional transportation option.
We had a corner room on the 9th floor, which regrettably
did not give us a view of the Empire State Building because of an adjacent
building. (On our last visit, our corner room on the 22nd floor had
a great view.) The room was average size for New York City (about 300 square
feet), with a king-size bed abutted by two nightstands, a desk/dresser/bureau
combination, a small ottoman/seat that could be moved around, and a shelving
unit that housed the glass-fronted weighted minibar (do not move anything or
you will be charged) and coffee-making supplies, and a small closet that
contained an electronic safe, iron, and ironing board. The room decor was
modern and appealing, and the fashion theme (or sewing theme) carried through
on some of the artwork. The bathroom was a decent size, with a combination
tub/shower unit and large countertop vanity with a single sink. Complimentary
toiletries include soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion. Three sets of
towels were provided, despite the fact that the room could really only sleep
two guests. The hotel does not offer turndown service, nor does it have vending
or ice machines; however, you can call down to the front desk to request ice
delivery.
We enjoyed our second stay at the Hilton Fashion District,
and we had fun at the RARE rooftop bar.
