A warning for all regarding the ongoing construction at the Renaissance in NYC (and they WON'T warn you when you book your room !!!):
We have stayed at the Renaissance several times before (we go to NYC every spring for a 3-night vacation stay) and have had wonderful experiences. However, we just came back from our stay and it was a disappointment ... we're from Boston and we felt like we were in the midst of the infamous Big Dig with the hammering and demolition noise and some dust in the common areas.
I am not a snob by any means and realize that some blood must be shed in the name of progress, but paying $369 a night for a room should imply some level of consideration which I don't believe was offered. Bottom line is that when we booked our room over the phone, no mention was made of the construction, and it should have been.
There are a dozen other as-nice hotels in the Times Square area, some cheaper and some slightly more expensive... if you are going to NYC this summer, check them out first.
If we wanted noise, we would have stayed at a Holiday Inn.