New York is one of my favourite cities to explore on foot. I’ve been more than ten times, in every season, and my approach is always the same: get off the subway somewhere like Greenwich Village and walk as far as I can. The catch is that New York can easily overwhelm you, so the place you go back to matters more here than almost anywhere.
So if you want to see the New York classics on foot and still have a calm place to recover, my answer is to stay just south of Central Park. Of the hotels in that pocket of Midtown, the one that caught my eye is 1 Hotel Central Park, on the corner of West 58th Street and Sixth Avenue.
Why stay near Central Park rather than downtown?
I’ve based myself both in Midtown and downtown around SoHo. SoHo is wonderful for shopping, but for the big sights on foot the blocks below the park are hard to beat. From 58th and Sixth, Carnegie Hall is a block away, MoMA is about five blocks south, and Rockefeller Center (for Top of the Rock and FAO Schwarz) is roughly a ten-minute walk. Fifth Avenue is a block east. And the park, for me the real prize, is on your doorstep.
What caught my eye about 1 Hotel Central Park
It was the design that drew me in first. The hotel has a three-storey living green façade, and inside it is built from reclaimed materials: guest room walls are lined with wood from old New York City water towers, and the front door is filled with fallen twigs. In a city this urban, that sense of nature indoors is exactly the kind of oasis I’d want to come back to. I dislike hotels that could be anywhere in the world, and this one could only be here.
The room details tick my boxes too. I always look for a coffee machine in the room, and here every room has a complimentary Nespresso. Wifi is free, and most rooms have glass-enclosed walk-in rain showers rather than baths, which I prefer. The Field House gym is open 24 hours, with classes and personal trainers if you want them.
The hotel is LEED certified and holds a 2026 MICHELIN Key. A lobby farmstand (7am to 5pm daily) offers seasonal fruit that is imperfect in appearance and would otherwise be thrown away.
A few things to know before you book. There’s a daily amenity fee of $49 per room plus tax, charged at check-in. It covers the electric Audi house car (rides within 15 blocks), fitness classes and events. I’d always rather know about fees upfront. There’s no pool, sauna or spa; wellness here means in-room HigherDOSE treatments such as an infrared sauna blanket. Check-in is from 4pm, but the hotel will store your luggage if you arrive early.
Check Prices and Availability for 1 Hotel Central Park
Breakfast, brunch and a glass of wine nearby
The hotel’s restaurant, Jams, is run by Jonathan Waxman, who won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York City in 2016. The menu is seasonal American, with produce from farms across New York, New Jersey and Ohio, and from the Union Square Greenmarket. And there’s In-room dining if you need it after a long day of walking.
That said, I prefer to eat out, and a New York brunch is a ritual. Bagels really do taste better here, and you can’t visit the US without ordering a massive stack of pancakes at least once. If you love bagels as much as I do, NYC Bagel Tours runs two-hour tasting walks. Downtown, Balthazar on Spring Street is my favourite, and a classic for good reason.
For wine, Aldo Sohm Wine Bar on West 51st Street is about a ten-minute walk away. To taste New York State wine, particularly Finger Lakes Riesling and Cabernet Franc, head to Red Hook Winery in Brooklyn, which makes its wines from New York-grown grapes.
My favourite New York walks from the park
Start in Central Park itself. Hiring a bike there is one of the most fun things I’ve done in New York.
From the hotel you can walk to most of my favourite places:
- Top of the Rock, my favourite view in the city and one of my picks for the best views of NYC.
- MoMA, my favourite of the city’s galleries.
- FAO Schwarz at Rockefeller Plaza, for the giant floor piano made famous by Big.
- Grand Central Terminal, worth visiting for the architecture alone and one of the most beautiful places in New York City.
- The Morgan Library & Museum on Madison Avenue at 36th Street, about half an hour’s walk. It’s my hidden gem and one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve ever seen; find more in my New York off the beaten path attractions.
Further afield, take the subway downtown. Walk the High Line for murals and views, and stop at Chelsea Market for food. For shopping, I head to Spring Street, Bleecker Street and the streets off Broadway. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is extremely moving and, I think, a must for everyone; see my guide to things to do in Lower Manhattan.
At the Statue of Liberty, buy a green foam crown and get into the spirit. My top tip on a fine day is to take the ferry to Governors Island, hire a bike and ride around it, with stunning views back to the city.
Like London, New York is always changing, so before each trip I check TikTok for new restaurants.
Check Prices and Availability for 1 Hotel Central Park
Practical information
- Address: 1 Hotel Central Park, 1414 Sixth Avenue (at West 58th Street), New York, NY 10019.
- Subway: 57 St station on Sixth Avenue (F line) is about a block away; 57 St–7 Av (N, Q, R, W) is a short walk west.
- When to go: spring is my favourite. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is cold but often has clear blue skies.
- Check-in and check-out: check-in from 4pm, check-out at 12pm. Luggage storage is available.
- Pets: pets are welcome up to 40lb in total per room.
Check Prices and Availability for 1 Hotel Central Park
FAQs
Is 1 Hotel Central Park on Central Park?
It’s one block south of the park, on the corner of West 58th Street and Sixth Avenue. Park-view rooms and suites look over the trees.
Does 1 Hotel Central Park have a pool or spa?
No. There’s a 24-hour gym, fitness classes and in-room HigherDOSE wellness treatments, but no pool, sauna or spa.
Is breakfast included at 1 Hotel Central Park?
Not in the standard rate. Some packages include a daily breakfast credit at Jams, which serves breakfast on weekdays and brunch at weekends.
Does 1 Hotel Central Park charge a resort fee?
Yes. A daily amenity fee of $49 per room plus tax is charged at check-in. It covers the Audi house car, fitness classes, events and the lobby farmstand.
Is 1 Hotel Central Park pet friendly?
Yes. Pets are welcome up to a combined 40lb per room, and a $250 cleaning fee applies only if the room needs extra cleaning.
What can you walk to from 1 Hotel Central Park?
Central Park, Carnegie Hall, MoMA, Fifth Avenue, Columbus Circle, Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock are all within about a ten-minute walk.
This article contains affiliate links. That means if you click through on some of the links within the article and end up making a purchase I may receive a small commission. It will not effect the price you pay.
Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.