WE NEW YORKERS rarely get a chance to stay in the city's fine hotels. So it was a real treat to join a recent press “trip” to the Park Central New York, on Seventh Avenue across from Carnegie Hall and three blocks south of Central Park.

Current management, Interstate Hotels, is on a renovation rampage and is going after the meeting market in a big way. In the past two years, the 6,000-square-foot meeting area on the mezzanine level has been upgraded, including the 1,857-square-foot Manhattan Skyline room and two fixed-seat boardrooms. All meeting rooms have high-speed Internet and TV, voice, and data ports. And there's a fine collection of New York City-themed artwork in the corridors and meeting rooms.

On the lower level of the hotel is the just-renovated 5,000-square-foot ballroom, with a balcony that would be excellent for cocktail receptions.

The 935 guest rooms are also being redone. There are now about 240 concierge-level-quality rooms with upgraded amenities and wireless Internet access. Wireless Internet will soon be offered in all rooms on the eighth floor and above.

Catering has also been upgraded. Executive chef Scott Rossi, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, showed off his skillful shellfish preparations at a reception for our group, and he pulled out all the stops at a chef's tasting dinner.