The View Lounge

The View Lounge, the rotating bar and restaurant on the forty-eighth floor of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, might not move quickly enough to induce nausea.  But there is a great deal else about this place that makes one sick. Trading on its enduring and unearned place on the tourist hit list, the interior has been neglected and now feels part aged Vegas casino and part second rate cruise ship. The view, which ought to be impressive given the height of the lounge, seems somehow distant and unreal. In fact, once the aggravating staff have corralled you in and insisted that you order at least one drink per person (and pay a cover charge at certain hours), you'll feel claustrophobic. This is a considerable achievement in a space with giant windows that overlook the Hudson river and midtown Manhattan.