Best Western Premier NYC Gateway Review: Great Lobby, Meh Room Near American Dream
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Best Western Premier NYC Gateway Hotel
2650 Paterson Plank Rd, North Bergen, NJ 07047
Rating: ♡♡♡ 3 out of 5 hearts
My man and I stayed here from January 23rd to the 24th for our date night ritual. Here's the thing though, despite its name, this place is not in NYC, which completely threw me off since I'm usually traveling out of Philadelphia. Our routine is pretty set: hit the slopes for snowboarding, then retreat to a cozy hotel for dinner, anime marathons, and quality time together. It's honestly one of my favorite things to look forward to each month.
Location & Accessibility
The hotel sits within reasonable proximity to American Dream Mall, but like every other hotel in the area, you'll need to drive, catch a shuttle (if your hotel offers one), or grab an Uber/Lyft to get there. Don't count on walking, it's just not happening.
Parking Situation
Let me paint you a picture of my arrival experience. I had to make this sudden left turn onto a busy street while it was pouring rain, and the parking lot layout was just... bizarre. With both our snowboards in the car, I was genuinely concerned about leaving everything overnight in what felt like a sketchy setup. Thankfully, nothing happened, but those initial vibes were rough. We strategically parked near a security camera for peace of mind.
The good news? Parking is free. The not-so-good news? The lot is cramped and small, and navigating to the hotel entrance via the staircase is confusing without any directional signage.
Check-In Experience
Here's where things took a dramatic turn for the better. Walking into the lobby, I was genuinely stunned by how gorgeous everything looked. I immediately needed the restroom (too much water during snowboarding – lesson learned), and even the guest bathroom was spacious and beautifully appointed. The check-in process itself was seamless, especially since we book everything through Booking.com.
The Room Reality Check
Disregard the mess, we started staying at hotels before I even decided to review them so I have little to no photos during our first few “date night” hotel stays.
This is where my expectations came crashing down. After seeing that stunning lobby and guest bathroom, plus all those near-5-star Google reviews, I was expecting something pretty spectacular. I mean Aloft was AMAZING. Instead, we got... a room. Just a room. The mirror even left much to be desired!
Would we return? It wouldn't be our first choice. Or our third, honestly.
The TV remote was completely dead, so we couldn't watch anything on the actual television and ended up streaming anime on his phone instead. That’s how sad it was! This stay was actually our wake-up call to start packing an iPad for trips, because hotel amenities don't always cooperate.
2025 UPDATE: If you've been following my hotel reviews, you'll know this has become a recurring theme.
Bathroom Assessment
The bathroom delivered on the basics: well-lit, good shower pressure, and hot water that came quickly. The space felt a bit cramped, but functionally it worked fine.
Breakfast Breakdown
They offer a well-stocked breakfast spread, but honestly, nothing really hit the mark for us. We grabbed some items to-go the next morning, and my partner even took coffee for his commute, but it was so disappointing we had to make a Starbucks run instead. Consider yourself warned.
The Bottom Line
I can't speak to the other amenities since we didn't stay long enough or come prepared to use them. But here's the real talk – I don't see us returning to explore what else they offer. At around $200 per night for a weekday stay, it felt like we were paying premium prices for a mediocre experience.
Sometimes a hotel just doesn't live up to its first impression, and this was definitely one of those times. The lobby promised luxury, but the room delivered ordinary – and that disconnect left us feeling pretty let down.
Till Next Time!
~Diana
