Profile

When completed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1919, the then-2200-room Hotel Pennsylvania was the largest hotel in the world. Though it no longer holds that title (it's now the fourth largest in New York City), the Pennsylvania is still a behemoth with 1705 guestrooms, 18 floors, 12 elevators and multiple conference pavilions. A series of retail shops and services pack the lobby, including Lindy's diner, City Perk coffee, Joe O's restaurant/bar, an electronics store, a language school, and a tourist information desk co-run by Expedia.com. In adjacent corridors, guests and seminar attendees can access public phones, faxes, ATMs, and Internet terminals. Guestrooms are simple and less cheesy than one might expect, with green-striped bedding, beige drapes and brown carpeting. Ten-foot ceilings allow for large windows (some with views of the Empire State); dark wood armoires hold 27" TVs with Web access and pay-per-view movies, while sturdy wood desks have two-line data-port phones. Bathrooms are stark and small with kick-flush toilets but closets are roomy and deep. For plush pillow-top mattresses, bathrobes, and high-speed Internet, book a corporate room. — Melia Patria

Reasonable rooms at inexpensive rates. If you need to be close to Penn Station, Madison Square Garden, or Macy's, this one fits the bill.

Cons
Large and impersonal, with unrestricted public areas, few extra frills, and constant crowds thanks to its proximity to Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. And, the area is charmless with few good restaurants and no nightlife.

Claim to Fame
The hotel is known for having the longest-running telephone number in New York City, immortalized during the big band era with Glenn Miller's famous song "Pennsylvania 6-5000."