Dream Midtown, a Hyatt Hotel in New York City [In-Depth Review]

Choosing where to stay in New York City is always a tough decision, as there are hundreds of hotels. Of course, there are the major hotel chains, including Marriott, Hilton, IHG, and Hyatt. However, there are also tons of individual and boutique hotels and hostels.

I was set to fly Singapore Airlines business class out of New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK). Since I do not live in New York, I thought I would spend the day before my flight in the Big Apple, which meant I needed a hotel for the night somewhere in the city.

Staying at a New York City hotel can be expensive, so I went with Dream Midtown, part of the Hyatt portfolio, as I found incredible cash rates. Hyatt acquired the Dream Hotel Group in 2022, so you can now stay at Dream Hotels and earn or redeem World of Hyatt points. With my unexpectedly low cash rate, it was a no-brainer to stay right in the center of New York City. Dream Midtown is just steps from the Broadway theater district and minutes away from iconic Times Square.

Read on for my full review and take on why you should consider this property the next time you are in New York City.

Booking

I knew I wanted to use World of Hyatt points, so I went to the Hyatt website to see the chain’s properties in New York City. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), there are more than 20 Hyatt properties in Manhattan alone.

New York hotels are notoriously expensive, so I started by narrowing down the choices based on 2 factors: cost and location. Using Hyatt’s intuitive search engine, I found the Dream Midtown, a Category 6 Hyatt hotel that could be booked for less than $175 per night.

Dream Hotels is a chain in Hyatt’s Boundless Collection. Since I had never stayed at a Dream Hotel, I chose it simply because the stay would earn me progress toward a free night, thanks to Hyatt Brand Explorer. By participating in Hyatt Brand Explorer, members earn a free night award that can be used at a Category 1-4 hotel for every 5 unique Hyatt brands they stay at.

Paying Cash vs. Using Points

Dream Midtown is a Category 6 property, meaning that award nights start at 21,000 points per night (off-peak) and can be as high as 29,000 points per night (peak).

According to our valuations, World of Hyatt points are worth 1.5 cents per point, making 25,000 points worth $375. However, the cash price was relatively low compared to the points price.

With the cash rates around $160 per night, it would have been an incredibly poor use of World of Hyatt points. So, I decided to book this hotel night by actually paying for it.

I booked a 1 Queen Bed Bronze room, which was the cheapest room available. Dream Midtown has 221 rooms and suites, so I felt confident I would get upgraded to a nicer room for being a World of Hyatt Globalist.

The room for this February 2024 stay was just under $185, including taxes and fees.

The daily destination fee was $30 plus taxes per room and included:

• Prosecco hour from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. daily in the lobby
• 2 bottles of water per day
• Daily digital copy of The New York Times
• Full access to TMPL Fitness Hell’s Kitchen
• 10% off Guggenheim Museum tickets
• 15% off Central Park Bike Tours

Since I am a Hyatt Globalist, the destination fee would be waived upon checkout.

For payment, I used The World of Hyatt Credit Card, as it earns up to 9x points total for Hyatt stays: 4x Bonus Points at Hyatt hotels and 5x Base Points as a World of Hyatt member.

Location

Dream Midtown is in Midtown Manhattan on West 55th Street, on the corner of Broadway and inside an iconic Beaux Arts building.

Many of New York City’s major tourist attractions are less than a 15-minute walk away, including Times Square, Rockefeller Center, the Museum of Modern Art, Carnegie Hall, Fifth Avenue shopping, and Central Park.

Getting There

From LaGuardia Airport (LGA), you can take the free Q70-SBS bus to the Roosevelt Av/74th bus stop. From there, it’s a 1-minute walk to the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave subway station, where you can catch an E train to the 7th Av subway station in Manhattan. The Dream Midtown is a 5-minute walk from the subway station. The whole trip takes about an hour.

From John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), you can take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station. From there, walk 3 minutes to the Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av subway station. Then, take the E train to the 7th Av stop in Manhattan. That entire journey also typically takes an hour or so.

Hot Tip:

Check out our guides on getting to Manhattan from all of New York City’s major airports: Newark, JFK, or LaGuardia.

Check-In

Since I came from LaGuardia Airport, I took the E train to the 7th Av station and walked approximately 5 minutes to 55th Street and the Dream Midtown.

I arrived at the hotel around 10 a.m. and proceeded straight to the check-in counter, which was in a small reception area. I immediately noticed the artwork-covered, vaulted ceilings.

World of Hyatt elite members could use the dedicated check-in line, but only 1 agent was working the desk.

The front desk representative promptly greeted me. He thanked me for my loyalty status and upgraded me to a 1 King Studio Suite Gold room on the 13th floor.

Although I arrived at 10 a.m., my room was ready. This was great to hear, as I was tired from my early morning flight from Chicago. The agent even asked if I wanted the 4 p.m. checkout, a benefit of Globalist status, to be placed in the system. Of course, I said yes. He handed me the key cards to the room and told me how to connect to the hotel’s Wi-Fi.

As a Hyatt Globalist, I was given 2 complimentary water bottles. I was also given a Globalist breakfast voucher, which included 1 breakfast entrée, coffee or tea, and juice. The voucher could be redeemed at Serafina, the on-site restaurant, but was not eligible for in-room dining.

Check-in was incredibly smooth and completed in under 2 minutes. The front desk representative was extremely professional and efficient, and I told him I appreciated that, as I had been up since 4 a.m. and wanted to go straight to my room. He mentioned to me that he’d been doing this for more than 20 years.

Lobby

After check-in, I walked around the lobby to see what it had to offer before heading to the room. To the left of the check-in desk was the concierge desk.

Directly across from the concierge and right in the middle of the lobby was a massive, 6,000-gallon, 2-story vertical aquarium home to over 150 exotic saltwater fish.

After a minute of looking at several fish inside the aquarium, I walked around the rest of the lobby. Several seating areas were divided into separate sections by area rugs.

The first section was next to the aquarium and featured 2 comfortable wooden seats and an interesting piece of artwork on the wall.

A small seating area with 2 armchairs was between the main doors to the lobby. The leather armchairs were extremely comfortable.

There were another 2 armchairs between the other set of doors. These were not nearly as comfortable as those in the other section.

Across from the other seating area were 2 surprisingly comfortable rocking chairs and a large Pixar-style lamp.

Although it didn’t have a lot of seating, the lobby was empty. After spending a few minutes on my phone in the rocking chair, I went up to my room.

Directly next to this last seating area were the hotel’s elevators. There were 2 elevators specifically for hotel guests and 1 for the PHD Terrace rooftop lounge.

The hotel lobby was relatively small but had an intimate feel to it. Every piece of art or furniture seemed to serve a specific purpose. I particularly loved the aquarium.

Amenities

Dream Midtown didn’t offer too many amenities, as it was a New York City hotel in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.

Wi-Fi

The hotel offered high-speed Wi-Fi to all guests. Although the Wi-Fi speed was nothing special, it was good enough for the work I needed to do, and I could get my work done without any interruptions.

Parking

Self-parking was $40 per night for standard-sized vehicles and $50 per night for oversized vehicles. Vehicles could be parked at 230 West 55th Street. Valet parking was not available.

Pets

Dream Midtown had designated pet-friendly rooms where dogs weighing less than 25 pounds could stay. Pets could not be left unattended at any time. The hotel charged a one-time, nonrefundable fee of $75 for pets. Service animals were exempt from the general pet policies and any deposits or fees.

Room

After a few minutes in the lobby, I headed to the 13th floor. After exiting the elevator, I walked through a dark hallway to my room.

As I walked into the room, I was greeted with an open room concept. The 1 King Studio Suite Gold room measured 400 square feet in all.

The king-size bed was on one side of the room, nestled in an alcove.

The bed had a cushioned headboard. The featherbed mattress was incredibly comfortable.

A radiant, floral-patterned fabric was on the wall behind the headboard. It was a soft, flexible fabric, not wallpaper, as I initially assumed.

There were 2 bedside tables, 1 on each side of the bed. There were also 2 outlets on each side. An alarm clock was on one table.

The bed also had a reading light on each side and switches for the lights in the room. I loved the placement of the light switches, as I could reach them easily while lying in bed.

Directly across from the bedroom was the 40-inch TV on a stand. Although the TV was a decent size, it was at least 15 feet from the foot of the bed, making it relatively difficult to use.

A mini-fridge was inside the TV stand. It was reasonably big, but I did not use it.

Near the foot of the bed was a wardrobe and a small dresser with a massive column right in front.

The wardrobe had an overhead storage section, a rack with hangers, and 2 drawers.

Inside the wardrobe was the safe, an iron, an ironing board, and a hair dryer.

Next to the wardrobe was a smaller dresser, and the drawers could be pulled out quite far and provided plenty of storage space. I only used the bottom cubby to place my shoes.

Next to the wardrobe and dresser was a small workstation. On the desk were a lamp, phone, and room service card with a QR code for the menu. Although there was a power outlet, there were no USB ports anywhere on or around the desk.

Lastly, behind the desk was a window that provided the only nice outside view. Looking down 55th Street to see local businesses and residential buildings was cool.

Across the room was a small seating section with a loveseat, an armchair, and a large coffee table. The furniture was clean, although it was outdated.

Overall, the room was large, especially by New York standards. However, much of the furniture was dated or poorly placed. The TV, in particular, was too far from the bed to enjoy.

The hotel was due for a renovation. The room also lacked amenities you’d typically expect to find in a more upscale hotel, such as a coffee machine, minibar, or microwave. Additionally, I wasn’t given slippers.

Regardless, I enjoyed how much space I had and appreciated the upgrade to this room.

Bathroom

Although the room was relatively spacious, especially by New York standards, the bathroom was not. I am not used to such a cramped bathroom, so it was uncomfortable.

The bathroom was relatively simple, featuring a sink, a toilet, and a shower. The entire bathroom was covered in white marble.

A mirror was above the sink, and 2 shelves above the toilet held extra towels, toiletries, and a roll of toilet paper wrapped in a Dream Hotel collapsible pouch.

The Karl Lagerfeld toiletries included shampoo, conditioner, hand and body wash, and hand and body lotion. They did feel luxurious.

Although the bathroom was quite basic, it provided me with everything I needed.

Food and Beverage

With New York having some of the best restaurants in the world, I had an endless list of meals and drinks I could’ve had. The Dream Midtown’s food-and-beverage places ranged from a full fine dining experience to a cozy cocktail lounge and a rooftop bar.

Serafina

The hotel’s main on-site restaurant, Serafina, could be reached through the hotel’s lobby.

Serafina had an extensive menu of traditional Italian cuisine and did an excellent job combining the energy of Broadway with a cozy, relaxing dining experience. However, it also came with Broadway prices.

Breakfast was the only meal I had at the restaurant, as it was free, thanks to my being a Hyatt Globalist.

There were over 20 individual dining tables and a massive, round table for larger parties. The restaurant was stylish but relaxed.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated in red and yellow. Although it was empty when I took these pictures, shortly after breakfast, it got incredibly busy in the evening.

A separate private dining area was in the back of the restaurant. I could picture the atmosphere at dinner, as Serafina created the perfect setting for a nice meal.

The restaurant was filled with interesting art on the walls.

For breakfast at Serafina, hotel guests could order à la carte from the regular menu or use the Dream Hotel breakfast prix fixe menu. Hotel guests were all seated in a single section.

Since the à la carte menu had a lot more options, I ordered breakfast from this menu. You could select 1 main breakfast course and 1 drink from the coffee and tea section. I went with the smoked salmon Benedict.

I started with a peppermint tea. I don’t know what I expected, but it was not a single teabag for $4.

I also drank cranberry juice. It came from a bottle, was overly sweet, and did not taste good.

About 15 minutes later, my smoked salmon Benedict came. It was served on an English muffin with hollandaise sauce, badly poached eggs, grilled potatoes, and mixed greens. The grilled potatoes and salmon were not bad, but the eggs and vegetables were bland.

I came with an open mind but did not find breakfast appealing at all. I could never recommend eating here for breakfast unless it’s free. The food is extremely overpriced for what it is.

I also found the restaurant staff and servers to be rude. I noticed that they were generally more welcoming and friendly to those who came for breakfast off the street than those staying at the hotel.

Mondays through Fridays, Serafina serves breakfast between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. On the weekend, breakfast is served from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Serafina opens daily at 11:30 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. on all days of the week except Fridays and Saturdays when it closes at 11 p.m.

PHD Terrace

PHD Terrace was at the top of the Dream Hotel Midtown.

I went up the stairs to this open-floor concept with several seating sections and a bar. The entire lounge was covered in flowers and plants, giving a cozy vibe.

The PHD Terrace featured a massive flower tunnel connecting the 2 bars. This was such a cool concept and would be an excellent place to get professional photography done.

After walking through the flower tunnel, I discovered an entirely new seating area and the second bar.

This seating area had wooden benches and patio furniture. It was an intimate spot, as the seating area was relatively small.

From here, I went to 1 of the balconies and took this picture of the breathtaking view of Manhattan.

PHD Terrace is open Tuesdays to Sundays. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, it is open from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. On Thursdays, it is open between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m. Lastly, on Fridays and Saturdays, it is open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The Rickey

The Rickey, named after the cocktail, was the cocktail lounge right next door to Dream Midtown. The lounge featured an unconventional mixed drinks menu with specialty craft cocktails and prided itself on fresh ingredients delivered to the venue daily.

The Rickey had several different seating areas over 1,100 square feet. It had 2 large TVs.

There was 1 narrow path to get across the room, with the bar on one side and seating along the wall on the other.

The bar could seat about 10 people and had every brand name of liquor I could think of.

The Rickey is open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

FISHBOWL

Lastly, Dream Midtown also featured a venue in the basement for parties and special events called FISHBOWL — a bar, lounge, and game room combined in a single venue. It was only available for private events, but I convinced an employee to let me take a look (he didn’t know I was reviewing the hotel).

As I walked in, I was immediately greeted by a large exposed brick bar that was well-stocked with liquor.

There was a combination of high tables, benches, and stools.

On one of the back walls was a long bench that stretched along the entire wall, providing seating for up to 20 people.

On the back wall was a stage with microphones and speakers.

FISHBOWL even had a retro Skee-Ball machine. As much as I wanted to try it out, I wasn’t allowed to.

A foosball table was in the middle of the space.

Service

Although I had minimal interactions with the hotel staff, I found them to be excellent. They were all incredibly welcoming and constantly smiling, regardless of the question or request. It seemed like they enjoyed their jobs and took pride in providing excellent service to hotel guests.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the staff at Serafina. My only guess is that they must have had issues with hotel guests in the past. However, that does not give them a pass.

Final Thoughts

Dream Midtown is a solid Hyatt property worth considering for those visiting New York City. It’s close to many of New York’s biggest attractions and offers a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of New York without requiring a 40-minute subway ride.

The rooms are a bit outdated, and the property should consider a renovation — a lot of the furniture in the room and even around the hotel lobby needed to be refreshed.

I found the staff to be welcoming and helpful, which always makes hotel experiences that much better. I must also commend Hyatt for treating its elite members right. I was upgraded to a suite without even needing to ask.

Best of all, I stayed at another Hyatt brand, which got me 1 step closer to another free night certificate through Hyatt Brand Explorer.

The only negative aspect of my experience occurred at Serafina. Regardless, I would still consider staying at Dream Midtown given the chance.