I’m writing this from room 1801 at Sofitel New York on West 44th Street, a Luxury King at the end of the 18th-floor hallway. Some of my clients have stayed here and enjoyed it, so I wanted to see the hotel’s recent renovation for myself.

Sofitel New York is a polished four-star hotel with comfortable, newly renovated rooms, a surprisingly quiet atmosphere for Midtown, and a location that puts much of Manhattan within walking distance.

I booked through Accor Preferred, as I do for my clients, so I could experience the same benefits firsthand.

Arrival and First Impressions

I arrived at Sofitel New York after a trip through Spain, where I’d stayed at Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental hotels. Sofitel is a step down in luxury, but it’s also priced accordingly. For a polished four-star hotel in this part of Midtown, I think it offers very good value, particularly after the renovation.

The hotel has a darker color scheme than many recently renovated properties, though that’s not unusual in New York. My room’s entryway has dark gray walls, and I needed the lights on even with the curtains open. The lobby has a similarly subdued feel.

It was pouring rain when I arrived, and a bellman swiftly saw me and came outside to collect my luggage. Check-in was easy, and the staff are friendly and helpful. The lobby has several seating areas, a lovely floral arrangement, and separate concierge and reception desks.

The front desk walked me through my Accor Preferred benefits. Because I’m also an Accor Gold member, they reminded me that my complimentary drink vouchers were available in the Accor app.

The bellman who delivered my luggage took the time to show me around the room, too.

My Luxury King Room at Sofitel New York

I booked a Superior King and was assigned room 1801, a Luxury King. The front desk didn’t specifically mention an upgrade, but I recognized it as one.

The renovation refreshed the guest rooms with updated paneling and furniture.

One of my favorite features was the black lacquered desk, which I used quite a bit during my stay. It has a built-in outlet and a comfortable chair, along with a phone, writing pad, and in-room dining menu. It’s a proper workspace, which isn’t always easy to find in hotel rooms anymore.

There’s also a sitting area with two club chairs and a table, and I liked the lacquered closet doors. The bed was very comfortable, and I slept well.

The room was well stocked, with plenty of storage and thoughtful extras:

• Minibar: Fully stocked with snacks, drinks, miniature liquor bottles, and a wine opener.
• Coffee: An espresso maker with regular and decaf coffee, paper cups, sugar, and stir sticks. The powdered creamer wasn’t my favorite.
• Coffee maker instructions: A small detail I appreciated. Even though I’ve owned a Nespresso machine and used plenty in hotels, they’re not always intuitive.
• Closet amenities: A clothes steamer, Sofitel robes, slippers, a safe, extra blankets, and laundry bags.
• Other useful extras: A voltage converter, sewing kit, shoe mitts, and lint brushes.
• Bedside conveniences: Outlets on both sides of the bed, an alarm clock radio, and temperature controls.

These were the amenities in my Luxury King. I’ve seen recent guest reports of rooms without coffee makers, so I’d confirm with the hotel if that’s important to you.

Two more things to know about the room:

• Lights and curtains: There isn’t a master switch to turn off all the lights, and the curtains are manual rather than motorized. However, the blackout curtains work extremely well. Very little light came through, which is something I always appreciate.
• Luggage rack: One thing I missed was a luggage rack. I prefer not to put my suitcase on the floor, but I didn’t have another option here.

Instead of bottled water, the room has a glass carafe and two drinking glasses. Each floor has a water refill station, similar to the setup I’ve seen at W New York Union Square.

Mine was conveniently located on the same side of the hallway as my room. I appreciate the effort to reduce plastic waste, although guests accustomed to bottled water in their rooms may feel differently.

The View and the Quiet

I didn’t have much of a view. My windows looked out at other buildings and a neighboring rooftop’s air conditioning units.

I didn’t mind, because the room was dead quiet, which is rare in New York City. It sat at the end of the hallway, and I believe it was a corner room.

West 44th Street is a one-way street, fairly quiet for Midtown. Still, if something is happening outside and your room faces the street, you will hear it, like the bands warming up nearby for the Columbus Day Parade during my stay.

The Bathroom

The bathroom is the part of my room that didn’t feel like it changed much during the renovation. It has a walk-in shower and a separate tub. It has a single sink with plenty of counter space and a hair dryer.

The Diptyque toiletries are full size, and they are good. My hair felt great, and I always love the Diptyque lotion.

The bathroom is also stocked with things you may have forgotten to pack, like cotton swabs and shower caps, which is becoming rarer in hotels. Overall, the bathroom is fine with excellent lighting (better than the five star hotel I was at the night before my stay here).

For the price I paid for my Superior King, I am happy with the stay. I’d estimate it cost half, or even a quarter, of what a five-star hotel in Midtown costs.

Which Room to Book

Sofitel New York has 398 rooms and suites, including 52 one-bedroom suites. Accor lists every room type except the suites at 344 square feet, so the main differences are the floor, the view, and the beds.

• For two: a Superior or Luxury King. The city view from my Luxury King on the 18th floor was mostly neighboring buildings.
• For a skyline view: a Signature Skyline View room on a high floor.
• For a family of four: a room with two queen beds, the Executive King with its sofa bed, or connecting rooms through my request form.

Book any of these rooms with the Accor Preferred rate in our booking tool. For connecting rooms, like the pair that shared my hallway door, use my luxury hotel request form, and my team will confirm the setup with the hotel for your dates.

Social 45: Breakfast and the Bar

Social 45 is the hotel’s bar and bistro, added in the renovation. They serve breakfast there, and it was included with my Accor Preferred benefits.

One day I had a power bowl with eggs, and the next day I had a vegetable omelet with arugula. Both came out fast, which I appreciate. The service was very friendly.

The bar is in the same space. It is pretty quiet and doesn’t have a huge New York bar scene, which I liked.

The West 44th Street Location

Sofitel New York is on West 44th Street. It sits between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, on the same block as the New York Yacht Club, the Harvard Club, and the Algonquin and Iroquois hotels.

You can walk almost everywhere from here, and walking is part of the New York experience. Times Square is around the corner in one direction. Fifth Avenue is around the corner in the other, and Madison Avenue is one block past it.

On this trip we walked to MoMA (the Museum of Modern Art), the American Girl store, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park. We also walked up to the Upper East Side to meet friends and family for dinner.

When you’d rather not walk, the 42nd Street–Bryant Park subway station is about three minutes away on foot. Grand Central is about nine minutes on foot.

To me, this block feels less hectic than the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park, where The Plaza sits, and there is a lot going on. I love The Plaza for a different type of stay. This block still puts you in the heart of everything.

Fitness, Fees, and Practical Details

• Fitness: a fitness studio with Technogym equipment, open 24 hours. I didn’t use it.
• Spa: there is no spa.
• Urban Experience Fee: charged nightly, in addition to the room rate.
• Parking: valet parking, for an extra nightly charge.
• Pets: one dog up to 30 pounds per room, for an additional fee.
• Check-in and check-out: 3 p.m. and 11 a.m.

What Recent Guests Mention

Since the renovation, a few things come up again and again in guest reviews:

• Service gets the most praise, especially the breakfast team, the doormen, and housekeeping. I agree with this.
• Several guests say the bathrooms were not updated as much as the rooms.
• Accor ALL elite members report mixed experiences with room upgrades. If you have elite status, I recommend booking through Accor Preferred to maximize your chances of an upgrade by combining your loyalty status with the hotel’s travel advisor VIP benefits.

Who Sofitel New York Is For (and Who It Isn’t)

• Travelers who want to walk to Broadway, Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, and MoMA from a quieter Midtown block.
• Anyone who needs to work from the room, because the desk setup is good.
• Families who need two queen beds, a sofa bed (in select rooms), or connecting rooms.
• Travelers who want a renovated four-star room in Midtown for well below five-star prices.

If you want a five-star bathroom, a spa, or a lively hotel bar, this is not your hotel. For a five-star stay in Midtown, start with my reviews of Four Seasons Hotel New York or The Plaza.

FAQs About Sofitel New York