If you spent any time in Midtown Manhattan between the Carter administration and the Obama era, you probably remember the jingle. It was catchy. It was everywhere. "The Milford Plaza, the Lullaby of Broadway." For decades, the hotel New York Milford Plaza wasn't just a place to sleep; it was a massive, neon-lit gateway for theater-goers, tourists, and budget-conscious travelers who wanted to be exactly where the action was without paying the Waldorf Astoria prices.
It was huge.
Located at 700 Eighth Avenue, the building takes up an entire city block between 44th and 45th Streets. That’s prime real estate. If you walked out the front door, you were practically tripping over the Majestic Theatre or the Golden Theatre. But history moves fast in New York City. Today, if you go looking for the Milford Plaza sign, you won't find it. The building is still there, but the identity has shifted entirely. It's now the Row NYC.
Why the Milford Plaza was a Broadway Icon
The building actually started its life in 1928 as the Lincoln Hotel. It was designed by the firm Schwartz & Gross, and back then, it was the tallest hotel in the city. It had 1,300 rooms. Think about that for a second. In an era before modern skyscrapers dominated the skyline, a 27-story tower with over a thousand rooms was a behemoth. It was glamorous for a while, but like much of Times Square in the mid-20th century, things got a little gritty.
By the late 1970s, the area was, frankly, a mess. Most people didn't want to walk down 8th Avenue at night. However, developer Seymour Milstein saw something others didn't. He bought the struggling Lincoln in 1978 and dumped millions into a renovation.
He rebranded it as the hotel New York Milford Plaza.
The strategy was brilliant and simple. They marketed it as the "Lullaby of Broadway." They ran television commercials that felt like a localized version of a Super Bowl ad campaign. People from Jersey, Long Island, and Connecticut knew that if they were seeing a show, they stayed at the Milford. It became the default option for the middle class. It wasn’t luxury. It was accessible.
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The Realities of the Guest Experience
Let’s be honest about the rooms. They were tiny. If you’ve ever stayed in an older New York hotel, you know the "shoebox" vibe. The Milford Plaza was the king of the shoebox. You didn't stay there to hang out in the room; you stayed there because you could walk to the Phantom of the Opera in three minutes.
The elevators were famously slow. When you have 1,300 rooms and thousands of guests all trying to get to a 7:00 PM curtain at the same time, the lobby becomes a mosh pit.
The decor for a long time was... dated. Lots of floral patterns, heavy curtains, and that specific shade of hotel carpet that seems designed to hide decades of NYC grime. But the staff? They were seasoned pros. They dealt with the chaos of Times Square every single day. There was a certain "old school New York" toughness to the service that you just don't see in the sleek, minimalist hotels opening up now.
The Great Transition: From Milford to Row NYC
Everything changed around 2009. The Milstein family decided to close the hotel. There were rumors, labor disputes with the New York Hotel Trades Council, and a general sense that the "Lullaby of Broadway" had finally hit its last note. For a while, the building just sat there, a massive brick ghost in the middle of a rapidly gentrifying Times Square.
Then came the private equity money. Rockpoint Group and Highgate Hotels stepped in.
They didn't just paint the walls. They gutted the place. The goal was to pivot away from the "budget tourist" demographic and toward the "urban explorer" or "lifestyle" traveler. In 2014, after a massive $140 million renovation, it officially became the Row NYC.
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The transformation was jarring for long-time patrons of the hotel New York Milford Plaza. Gone were the traditional desks and the 1980s aesthetics. In their place came District M—a high-end cafe by day and a pizza bar by night—and City Kitchen, a "boutique" food court.
City Kitchen was actually a smart move. Instead of a mediocre hotel buffet, they brought in actual NYC staples like Luke’s Lobster and Whitmans. It turned the hotel into a destination for people who weren't even staying there.
What People Get Wrong About the Change
Some people think the Milford Plaza simply disappeared. It didn't. The bones are exactly the same. When you walk through the Row NYC today, you are walking through the same corridors where Broadway actors used to grab a drink after a show in the 1930s.
However, the "vibe" is fundamentally different. The Milford was unpretentious. The Row is curated.
There's a misconception that the renovation solved the "small room" problem. It didn't. You can't really move structural walls in a 1928 steel-frame building without spending a billion dollars. The rooms in the current iteration are still small. They just have better lighting, white linens, and modern furniture now. If you're a family of four trying to squeeze into a standard room, it's still going to feel like a game of Tetris.
Navigating the Modern 700 Eighth Avenue
If you’re planning a trip and looking for that classic Milford Plaza experience, you need to adjust your expectations. Here is the current reality of staying at this historic location:
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- The Location is Unbeatable: You are still on 8th Avenue and 44th Street. You are steps from the A, C, E subway lines. You can see the Shubert Alley from the corner.
- The Price Point has Shifted: It’s no longer the "budget" king. It's priced as a mid-range to upper-mid-range hotel. You're paying for the brand and the renovated lobby.
- The Crowds are Constant: 1,300 rooms is still 1,300 rooms. The lobby is almost always buzzing, loud, and energetic. If you want a quiet, boutique experience, this isn't it.
- The Amenities are Modern: They have a fitness center (CYC Fitness) and a Sugar Factory attached to the building. It’s very "Instagrammable."
The Legacy of the "Lullaby"
It’s easy to be cynical about corporate rebranding. But the hotel New York Milford Plaza represented a specific era of Manhattan history. It represented the moment when Times Square decided it wanted to be safe for families again. It was the anchor of 8th Avenue when that street was still a little bit dangerous.
The Milstein family’s decision to keep it as a hotel rather than converting it into luxury condos (which was the trend) probably saved the character of that block.
I remember talking to a former bellman who worked there in the 90s. He told me that during the height of the "Lullaby" years, they would have lines out the door for the "Showstopper" packages. People would save up all year to come in from Ohio or Pennsylvania, stay at the Milford, and see two shows in a weekend. That was the American Dream for theater nerds.
Actionable Tips for Your Stay
If you decide to book a room at the current Row NYC (the former Milford Plaza), keep these things in mind to avoid common traveler pitfalls:
- Ask for a High Floor: 8th Avenue is loud. It's one of the busiest corridors for sirens and honking in the entire world. The higher you are, the less you'll hear the 2:00 AM garbage trucks.
- Use the Side Entrances: The main entrance on 8th Avenue is a circus. Often, there are smaller entrances or ways to navigate through the food hall that are less congested.
- Don't Expect Large Closets: These rooms were built in 1928. People traveled with trunks then, or very little. Modern luggage for a week-long trip will take up half your floor space.
- Check the "Facility Fee": Like almost every major hotel in Times Square now, they charge a daily "resort" or "facility" fee. It’s usually around $35-$45 per night. Factor this into your budget because it's often not shown in the initial price on booking sites.
- Eat at City Kitchen: Seriously. Don't bother with the overpriced hotel breakfast. Go to the food hall upstairs. The ramen and the tacos are actually good.
The hotel New York Milford Plaza might be a memory, but its presence is still felt in the DNA of the neighborhood. It was the giant that held down the fort. Whether you call it the Lincoln, the Milford, or the Row, 700 Eighth Avenue remains the heartbeat of the theater district. It's a massive, noisy, cramped, and wonderful slice of New York history.
Strategic Planning for Your Visit
To get the most out of a stay at this location, verify the current management status before booking. Since 2020, the hotel has shifted its operations several times, sometimes serving as a shelter or temporary housing during city crises before returning to traditional guest services. Always call the front desk directly to confirm which amenities—like the fitness center or specific restaurants—are currently open to the public. If you are looking for that specific nostalgic Milford Plaza feel, you won't find the old floral curtains, but you will find the same incredible proximity to the bright lights of Broadway that made the original "Lullaby" famous.